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"A.— Water.—This water contained at least ½-million microbes per 1 c.c. The
"water contained abundance of bacillus coli communis and spores of bacillus
"enteritidis sporogenes, of the latter at least 10 spores per 1 c.c., of the former at
" least 100 per 1 c.c.
"From this it follows that this water is practically dilute sewage.
"B.—Mud.—1 gramme of mud was distributed in 10 c.c. of sterile water; after
"allowing the mineral matter to settle, of the slightly turbid fluid c.c., ¼ c.c.
"and 1 c.c. were used for demonstrating the presence of bacillus coli communis and
"the spores of the bacillus enteritidis sporogenes, and the result was practically
"the same as stated of the water, viz., abundance of bacillus coli communis and of
" spores of bacillus enteritidis in c.c.
"C.— Cockles.—Twelve of the cockles were used, only the exterior beinu;
"employed. The result was this : All cockles contained the bacillus coli communis
"and the spores of bacillus enteritidis. In one (possibly two) cockle we isolated,
"besides, a microbe which, so far as was possible in the two days, answers to the
"tests of typhoid bacillus, but, of course, this time is not sufficient to make a
"definite statement on the subject. I may, however, add that typhoid blood
"agglutinates the emulsion of the bacillus in question as 1 in 100, better, of course,
"as 1 in 50.
"E. KLEIN,"
Dr. Klein further reported that from the cockles "the typhoid bacillus, or at"
any rate a bacillus corresponding to it and answering all the tests of the
" bacillus typhosus, was discovered in them."
I have no knowledge that any change has taken place in the nature or
disposal of the sewage effluent at Leigh, so the above report may be taken as
practically the same as exists at the present day.
At that time the sale of cockles in Billingsgate Market was prohibited, and
they were only allowed to be sold in the market again conditionally on their
being steamed for a period of five minutes, and that no cockles should ever be
re-laid in the Creek.
I find that since Easter it has been the practice of the cockle fishermen to
re-lay cockles in the Creek for period of two tides, say 24 hours, in order
that they might purge themselves of the sand.
The sewage effluent from Leigh pours into this Creek, and it is therefore
evident that, while purging themselves of the sand, they fill themselves with
sewage, contaminated water and mud from the Creek.
When it is considered that large numbers of the working classes of London
visit Southend, and a large proportion of them partake of cockles, and that,
in addition to this, large quantities of cockles which have been insufficiently
steamed are sent to Billingsgate, there to be sold in small quantities in
different parts of the County of London, there is great danger to the public
health arising from the re-laying of the cockles in the sewage-polluted water
of Leigh Creek.