View report page

ENTERIC FEVER
The one case of typhoid which occurred within the Borough during the year was in a lady who
returned to this country following a four week holiday in Ceylon. She became ill on her return flight
and on admission to hospital was found to have a pneumonia. Salmonella typhi were isolated from
the stool but blood examinations had not produced any significant findings. The possibility that the
illness was due to a pneumonic condition in a person who was a symptomless excreter of salmonella
typhi could not be excluded. All family and other contacts were investigated but no other person
was found to be infected.
FOOD POISONING
During the year there were 35 sporadic cases of food poisoning. No general or family outbreak
was notified. In 24 of the 35 notified cases salmonellae (the organism causing food poisoning)
were isolated.

During the year an employee at a large hotel contracted food poisoning whilst on holiday
abroad. His symptoms cleared up in a matter of days and although he remained in good health
repeated stool examinations showed the continued presence of the salmonella organism. It was
necessary to exclude this person from his employment as a food handler for a period of four months
until his carrier state was finally resolved.
A similar instance arose in respect of an employee at a food factory, and in this case the period
of exclusion was twenty-eight days.
The total amount paid to these two persons in compensation for financial loss as required by
Section 41 of the Public Health Act 1961 was £882.
Bacillus cereus
Investigations carried out into two individual food poisoning outbreaks showed that the possible
cause of the food poisoning was Bacillus cereus which was isolated from two specimens of vomit from
patients who had become ill. This organism was also isolated from specimens of boiled rice eaten
as part of the meals consumed in the two Chinese restaurants involved. As a result of the investigation
advice on improved methods of rice preparation were given to the proprietors of the restaurants
concerned and this advice was translated into Chinese and distributed to all the Chinese restaurants
in the Borough. (Further details concerning these investigations will be found on page 76).
INFECTIVE JAUNDICE
Out of the 52 cases of infective jaundice notified during the year, details concerning four of the
cases were notified to the Blood Transfusion Centre so that the names of family contacts who might
have become infected with the virus could be removed from the list of blood donors.
MEASLES
The number of cases of measles notified during 1972 was the lowest on record, and this no
doubt reflects the increasing effectiveness of the vaccination programme. It should, however, be
remembered that measles is likely to be a particularly difficult disease to control in this way and
continued viaorous action is necessary.
18