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Food Poisoning.
During the year there were two outbreaks of food poisoning, and
in addition 6 isolated cases occurred.
Outbreak No. 1.
This was a small outbreak in which three children of a family of
six suffered from food poisoning, due to an organism known as Salmonella
typhi-murium.
The patients were treated at home and made good recoveries.
The origin of the infection was not discovered.
Outbreak No. 2.
In this second outbreak, which was also of a minor character,
four children in a family of eight were involved. As in the previous
case the organism responsible was Salmonella typhi-murium. The
source of the infection was not traced.
Of the remaining cases all but one were treated at home. In this
case, a girl of 18 years, the onset of the illness was about 19th June,
and on 30th June the patient was admitted to hospital with symptoms
of abdominal pains and diarrhoea.
The organism responsible was Salmonella-senftenberg type, and
although the source of infection was not definitely established, it was
believed by the Central Public Health Laboratory Service to have had
some connections with pork, ham or chopped ham, in view of the
number of incidents of this type which were occurring throughout the
country at the time.
Dysentery.
Fourteen cases of Sonne dysentery were notified during the year.
These included five patients from one family, one of whom was engaged
in an occupation concerned with food handling. It was not
necessary to serve this person with a notice under the Public Health
(Infectious Diseases) Regulations 1953, prohibiting her from carrying
out her employment whilst a carrier of shigella sonnei, as she voluntarily
agreed to give up her work. Compensation was paid for loss
of earnings by the Council during the patient's absence from her
employment.
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