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Two samples of sterilised milk, one taken on board in London on 17th December,
1937, and oue at Durban on the 15th January, 1938, were examined and found to be
bacteriologically satisfactory.
Samples were drawn of the ship's water, and the Bacteriologist commented as
follows:—
(1) Water from fore peak tank through pump in firemen's washroom (said
to be London water)—"A bad water and not fit for drinking purposes."
(2) Water from tap on boat deck after passing through filter No. 8 D.B.
(Genoa water)—"The bacterial count is too high for this water to be passed as
fit for drinking purposes."
(3) Water taken direct from No. 4 Starboard D.B., not filtered (Laurenco
Marques water)—"Poor quality water. The bacterial count is high, but the
absence of pathogenic organisms such as B. Coli, Streptococci, &c., would allow
of it being passed for drinking purposes."
(4) Water taken from ice tap at gun port door after passing through filter
No. 8 D.B.—"The bacterial count is too high to allow of this water being passed
as fit for drinking purposes."
In spite of these unsatisfactory results, the water was not thought to be responsible
for the outbreak. It is notable that there were comparatively few cases amongst the
tourist passengers and the deck and engine room departments, the principal incidence
being amongst the catering department and the first-class passengers.
As a precaution, however, all the drinking water tanks were emptied and cleansed
and refilled while the vessel was in dock.
The difficulties of investigating on 1st March an outbreak of gastro-enteritis which
apparently began on the 19th December, 1937, and finished about the 16th February,
1938, will be appreciated, but one may assume that the sickness was probably a mild
type of dysentery which spread amongst the catering department and from them to
the first-class passengers via the foodstuffs, particularly such things as galantines, ham
in aspic, and other prepared foods which, it was noted, appeared very regularly on the
menu for the first-class saloon during the hot weather.
It was suggested to the shipping company that it should be a rule that any member
of the catering staff who had diarrhœa should be put into hospital until he had
recovered, and that the importance of thoroughly washing the hands after defæcation or
urination be impressed upon all members of the catering staff.
OUTBREAK OF FOOD POISONING.
An oil tanker arrived in the Port of London on Saturday, the 26th November, from
Abadan, via the Suez Canal.
The Assistant Port Health Officer who boarded her found four cases of diarrhoea
with colic and fever (one case with a temperature of 104 deg.), and promptly sent them
to the Authority's Isolation Hospital at Denton.
Further examination of the crew revealed a number of other cases with the same
symptoms in varying degree, and finally 17 further cases were removed to hospital,
making a total of 21 cases in all.
The first case took ill three days before arrival with diarrhoea, colicky pains,
headache and feverishness. The other cases suffering from the same train of symptoms
took ill on the 26th and 27th November.
As to the possible cause of the outbreak, the ship took on fresh vegetables (lettuce
and tomatoes) at Port Said on the 12th November, and they were consumed daily until
the 19th November.
Water was taken in at Birkenhead, Port Said, Abadan and again at Port Said, all
tanks being "topped up" on each occasion.
An inspection of the vessel on its arrival in London revealed the refrigerating
chamber in a dirty condition, the temperature on opening the door being 40 deg. F.
Some of the food inside, consisting of liver and mutton, was found in semi-thawed
condition, mouldy, and the liver slightly affected with distoma.