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Sonne Dysentery is a highly infectious form of gastroenteritis.
The illness is often severe butmild transient attacks
are frequent and often disregarded. Faecal Infection is conveyed
directly from hand to hand or indirectly by the fouling of objects
or food. The washing of hands after the use of the W. C. and
before handling food is the most important protective measure.
Typhoid and Paratyphoid Fevers. One case Of Typhoid Fever
and one case of Paratyphoid Fever occurred. Both recovered.
A boy aged thirteen years developed Typhoid Fever after
accidental immersion in a sewage tank in another district. A
woman aged fifty four years, a private nurse, contracted paratyphoid
Fever, Type 3.A. No local source of infection was found.
A notice served, under the Public Health (Infectious
Diseases) Regulations, 1953, on a woman, aged forty two years,
a cook., who is a carrier of Salmonella Paratyphosus B, Type 1,
requiring her to refrain from engaging in any occupation
connected with the handling of food or drink for human consumption,
was continued. The infection persists. Compensation
was paid in accordance with the Regulations during 1956.
Food Poisoning. Fifteen cases were notified in 1956,
compared with seven cases in 1955. All were single cases and
widely distributed. There was no apparent connection between
the cases. No common sources of infection were discovered.
Two were infected outside the Borough. Six were adults, three
were school children and six were infants. Ten of the cases
occurred during May and June. Thirteen of the cases were
caused by Salmonella Typhlmurlum, one by Salmonella Thompsonl
and one by Staphylococcus. There was one death from an acute
attack, a woman aged seventy four years. Foods involved
included reheated stew, cold ham, salad, sausage rolls, and
duck's eggs. Mice were a possible source of infection in two
cases. in ten cases the exact source of infection was not
ascertained. During investigations four carriers were detected
and treated.
Salmonella Typhlmurlum was the most frequent cause of food
poisoning. Mice are the original source of this infection.
The danger of contamination of food during production, storage
and distribution demands constant efforts to secure their
destruction or exclusion from contact with food. Meat and egg
products which are not subjected to sufficient heat for sterilisation
are principal vehicles of infection. Salad vegetables
and fruit maybe contaminated by rodents and should be thoroughly
washed. The egg of the duck is always suspect and should not be
used to prepare lightly cooked foods. Boiling for fifteen
minutes is necessary for sterilisation of the egg.
The human carrier has opened up new channels of infection
from food shops, restaurants and canteens. The Food Hygiene
Regulations require a very high standard of cleanliness frcmall
Who are engaged in the handling of food. The wash hand basin
is the most important item of equipment in the food shop. The
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