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Search was made for the source of infection without any satisfactory
result. It was found that two relatives of the wife had suffered
several years earlier from this disease but it was not possible to establish
that either of them was a carrier.
Paratyphoid Fever.
In December a lady resident was taken ill, removed to hospital and
was found to be suffering from paratyphoid B of an unusual phage
type.
A few cases of the same type had occurred in other districts and
each case had eaten products of a bakehouse which had used a certain
batch of frozen Chinese egg.
Enquiries revealed that this patient's father lived in the same house
and worked in a bakery which had used the same batch of egg. There
was thus a possibility of a carrier amongst the Staff and danger that
further cases might arise from this source.
With the willing assistance of the Management specimens for
investigation were obtained from every member of the Staff. No
carrier was discovered and it did not appear that anyone on the staff
had been infected.
Food Poisoning.
There was no outbreak in 1954. One child had the symptoms of
acute food poisoning. At first no casual organism could be discovered
but eventually, Staphylococcus Aureus was isolated. This may have
been the cause. The source could not be discovered and there were
no other cases associated.
Another child was admitted to hospital with symptoms of food
poisoning and was found to be infected with Salmonella typhimunurn.
It was not possible to ascertain the source of infection. There were
no other cases.
Dysentery.
Of the 27 cases notified all were due to an organism known as
Shigella Sonnei. This form of dysentery is generally mild and it
occurs widespread throughout the country. There was an outbreak
at Kew in June when 20 cases occurred. A number of infected children
attended Queens School and some spread of the infection occurred
here. Spread was greater, however, in households particularly where
overcrowded conditions existed.