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Faecal specimens were obtained from " P.S." and another child
and both showed heat resistant CI. welchii which proved untypable.
Dr. Betty Hobbs in commenting on the outbreak wrote as
follows:—
"This is one of the rare occasions when the temperature of
roasting was inadequate because the heat penetration to the inner
surface of the roll failed to kill CI. welchii spores—as the Deputy
Chief Public Health Inspector points out. It is again obvious that
mild outbreaks can be overlooked even in schools and factories.
"It is a pity that the specimen meal was thrown away, because
the infecting strain of welchii was untypable and not agglutinated
by any of our 11 sera. If the food strain had been available, we
could have a new typing serum, but it is taking too big a chance
to prepare a serum from one out of two untypable faeces strains."
11. IMMUNISATION
(a) Against Diphtheria.—94 primary immunisations were done
in children of school age and 764 "booster" doses were given in
school immunising sessions.
(b) Against Whooping Cough.—Immunisation against whooping
cough has been available for many years to children of preschool
age but in April, 1953, immunisation was made available to
children of all ages. Nine children over five years were immunised
against whooping cough during 1956. It is stressed that the main
effort was directed towards children of pre-school years, of whom
1,015 were immunised.