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It is very probable that the outbreak was due to the unsatisfactory
manner in which the chicken was dealt with.
An organism known as Clostridium Welchii may be a normal
inhabitant of the intestine of poultry. Long storage and faulty cooking
could provide opportunity for the organism to multiply and elaborate
its toxin. Cooking would destroy the organism but would leave the
toxin to cause symptoms in the patient.
In addition, one case of suspected food poisoning was notified.
This was a girl aged 7 who had returned from a holiday in Wales.
She had symptoms suggesting food poisoning but all bacteriological
investigations were negative and the cause could not be established.
Paratyphoid Fever.
In April a woman was admitted to hospital suffering from
diabetes and, in the course of investigation, it was found that she was
infected with Salmonella Paratyphi B. Enquiries subsequently
revealed that she had suffered from "typhoid fever" thirty years
earlier, and that since then she had been subject to attacks of enteritis.
It seemed therefore that this was not a recently infected case, but
rather a patient who had been carrying the organism for many years.
Later examination of specimens showed this to be the case.
IMMUNISATION AND VACCINATION
This work is organized from the Divisional Health Office, Sheen
Road, Richmond, and is carried out at the Clinics and in the Schools.
Prevention of Diphtheria and Whooping Cough.
The majority of babies are immunized against these two diseases.
Every effort is made to get as high a proportion as possible protected
in the first year of life, but use of separate antigens during the warm
quarters of the year makes this very difficult.
Prevention of Smallpox.
It is estimated that 53.1% of babies under one year old were
vaccinated. This is not high enough but is considerably better than
in many parts of the country.
Prevention of Poliomyelitis.
Supplies of vaccine were adequate throughout the year.
A drive was made to complete the immunization of all children
with considerable success. A scrutiny of all schools showed that with
the exception of a few objectors protection was virtually complete.
In the spring there was a sudden demand for protection from
young people aged 15-25 years, and facilities were made available.
Large numbers were immunized and, in addition, an unknown number
of our young residents were given the inoculations at their place of
work.