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36.
The Walthamstow and Chingford Association of Tuberculosis Care
Helpers gave valuable assistance to tuberculous persons and their
families by the provision of milk, groceries, clothing, bedding, etc.
in necessitous cases. This Association deserves the utmost support
and, indeed, receives an annual grant from the Council and donations
from many organisations in the borough.
Dysentery
Seven cases of dysentery were notified to the department. All
were isolated cases.
Food Poisoning
The nine cases of food poisoning which occurred were all investigated
but in only two of these was the causal agent identified.
In addition to the nine notified cases, an outbreak, suggestive of
food poisoning, in a school in the borough, was reported, affecting 72
children and staff. It was considered, after investigation, that this
was due to 'epidemic vomiting' caused by a virus infection.
Food poisoning was suspected, but the causal organism was not
identified, when 23 members out of a party of 32, belonging to an
association in the town reported ill after partaking of a meal in a
restaurant in London. The circumstances were reported to the Medical
Officer of Health of the London borough concerned: his investigations
yielded no result.
Considerable concern was felt by the occurrence of cases of
paratyphoid 'B' fever in an adjoining district and, indeed, in several
parts of the country, due to the use of Chinese egg products in the
preparation of cakes, etc. It was found that these egg products
carried paratyphoid 'B' infection. The Ministry of Health issued
instructions as to the treatment of these materials before use in food
preparation: a copy of these instructions was issued to all bakeries
in the district.
It cannot be too strongly emphasised that cases of dysentery and
food poisoning will continue to occur so long as the standard of
personal hygiene remains low in many cases. Both these diseases
can largely be prevented by strict attention to personal cleanliness,
particularly hand washing after all visits to the lavatory.
Food Hygiene
The Health Department maintained close contact with all food
premises in the borough.