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Sale of Food and Drugs.—The Authority under
the Sale of Food and Drugs (Adulteration) Acts, 1928,
the Public Health (Condensed Milk) Regulations,
1923-1927, and the Public Health (Preservatives, &c.,
in Food) Regulations, 1925-27, is the Essex County
Council.
During the year complaints and communications
with regard to these matters have been forwarded to
this Authority. The Chemical and Bacteriological
examination of food is carried out by the Essex County
Council.
Outbreak of Food Poisoning in Stanford-le-Hope.
—On the 9th and 10th of July, 1931, an outbreak of
Acute Enteritis occurred in Stanford-le-Hope and
surrounding districts, but no mention thereof was
received at the Public Health Department from any
member of the public until the 17th July. On that date
the district Sanitary Inspector heard a rumour of suspected
food poisoning in Stanford-le-Hope, and notified
me forthwith. I immediately communicated with all
the local medical practitioners in that area in search of
information thereon. One doctor had no cases, another
had only resumed after his holiday four days earlier, and
consequently knew nothing of recent local happenings,
while the third departed on his holiday at the end of
the previous week and was inaccessible. I obtained
from the second practitioner, however, a list of twentythree
persons who had been, or were, suffering from
Enteritis, and each patient was visited by a member of
the staff. From these, details of nearly forty other
affected persons were obtained, most of whom had not
sought medical advice. These persons resided in
Corringham, Stanford-le-Hope, Linford, Thames Haven,
Coryton, Orsett and Grays, and the following facts
were elicited:—
1. That the onset of illness in every case was the
9th or 10th of July.
2. The majority of the patients attended a dance
in Stanford-le-Hope on 8th July, and every one