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and four cases were admitted to hospital In two instances, however, the
diagnosis was not confirmed, so that the "corrected" figure of cases of Pood
Poisoning for the year is seven, six adults and one child. Following detailed
enquiries by officers of the department the notifications fell in the category
of "single" cases and could not be described as "outbreaks". Enquiries into
the clinical features of the cases showed that all patients experienced sickness
and diarrhoea, varying from slight to severe attacks, and occurring at
periods from 3 to 35 hours after consuming the suspected foods: all patients
recovered. The foods coming under suspicion in six of the cases were:-
Shell-fish (winkles) 2 cases
Minced beef 1 case
Tinned fish 1 case
Tinned meat 1 case
Duck egg 1 case
In the seventh case, the illness could not be related to any particular article
of food. As so often happens, no portion of the suspected foods was
available for bacteriological examination.
SECTION 20. (a) (Milk and Dairies Regulations, 1949). Under this section
the Minister has made various regulations relating to Milk and Dairies.
Since the coming into operation of the various Milk Regulations, 1949,
the responsibility of local authorities has been more particularly in relation
to the safety of milk in distribution as opposed to the production side, which
is in the hands of the National Agricultural Advisory Service. These Regulations
require that local authorities keep a register of persons carrying on
the trade of milk distributor and of all dairy premises other than dairy farms
in their district, and make special provisions relating to the treatment,
handling, and storage of milk.
Shops where milk is sold only in the unopened containers in which it is
received are not included in the definition of "dairy"; the vendors are registered
as "distributors". At the end of the year 234 persons were registered
as "distributors", 29 operating from registered "dairy premises" in the Borough,
28 from "dairy premises" outside the Borough, and 177 were selling from retail
shops milk in unopened containers.
(b) Milk (Special Designation) (Raw Milk) Regulations, 1949/50. The
following licences were issued:-
Dealer's Licence -
Tuberculin Tested Milk 46
Dealer's Supplementary Licence -
Tuberculin Tested Milk 20

Bacteriological examination of 540 samples of milk sold under these Regulations
was carried out; seven of these samples failed to comply with the