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instance, poison by any of the enteric groups of typhoid or paratyphoid
organisms, can be traced to foods which have been
incorrectly handled, particularly in the eating places and the homes.
Outbreaks of food poisoning are generally attributable to persons
who are carriers of the specific micro-organisms capable of causing
attacks of gastro-intestinal disease who are engaged in preparing
or purveying those articles of food, such as ice-cream and cooked
meats, which are suitable for the rapid multiplication of the
infecting micro-organism.
The Medical Research Council, in an analysis of reports
received by the Ministry of Health from medical officers of health,
and of weekly epidemiological reports submitted by directors of
constituent and associated laboratories of the Public Health
Laboratory Service and by bacteriologists in certain hospital
laboratories, presents some very valuable information with regard
to food poisoning in England and Wales during 1950. The
summary is as follows :—
"In 1950 the number of food-poisoning incidents reported
by medical officers of health to the Ministry of Health and by
bacteriologists to the Medical Research Council increased by
64 per cent. Of the 3,979 incidents reported, 2,987 (75 per
cent.) were sporadic cases, and 992 (25 per cent.) were outbreaks
and family outbreaks.
Salmonellae were the cause of 2,021 incidents, of which
1,554 were sporadic cases and 467 were outbreaks. Staphylococci
caused 82 incidents, 15 of which were sporadic cases.
C1. welchii caused 24 outbreaks, and other organisms 40
outbreaks and three sporadic cases. Two outbreaks were due
to chemicals, and 1,807 incidents, of which 393 were outbreaks,
were due to unknown causes.
The highest number of incidents occurred in the third
quarter, and the lowest number in the first quarter of the year.
The food known or believed to have been associated with
the infections was mentioned in the reports of 435 outbreaks
and family outbreaks; 268 of these were meat dishes—210
being processed, made-up, or reheated meat, soup or stock.
Forty-eight per cent. of all outbreaks where the vehicle of infection
was mentioned were due to the contamination of processed
or made-up meat. Canned meat apparently infected at the
canning factory was responsible for seven outbreaks.
The places where the contaminated food was bought or
eaten was mentioned in 255 outbreaks (excluding family outbreaks).
Canteens were mentioned in 104—school canteens
in 64 of these—hospitals and institutions in 83, hotels and
restaurants in 41, and the remainder were in butchers' and
bakers' shops, cooked meat shops, hostels, etc.