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44
of them partook of ham sandwiches. This
was the only article of food common in all cases.
3. Five pounds of ham were cooked at a dairyman's
premises on the 7th July and delivered to the
dance organisers the following day. The ham
was part of a portion of 6 gammons purchased
by the dairy from a Smithfield firm, and upon
my visit to the former one uncooked gammon
and half a cooked gammon remained. These
were seized immediately. The sale of the ham
was confirmed at Smithfield Market.
4. Persons who ate ham cut from one gammon on
sale at the dairy were also taken ill, although
they did not go to the dance.
A sample of feces was obtained from one patient
and sent to the Ministry of Health immediately for
bacteriological examination. The report on this sample
contains the following words: "The salmonella from
the feces of has now been identified as B. Aer-
trycke it is somewhat unusual to find an
aertrycke outbreak described as "mild" the
infecting dose must have been small." Efforts were
made to discover the infecting person, and eventually
feces samples from two members of the dairyman's
family gave positive results. Samples were obtained
also from various workers on the dance refreshments
committee, but others refused to assist the Department
in this way. Details of the ham, &c., were forwarded
to the Medical Officer of Health, City of London, who
instituted enquiries with the firm supplying the gammon,
but no information could be obtained to shed light on
the source of infection.
The remainder of the ham which had been seized
was submitted to the Ministry of Health for examination
and found to be free from infection. With the exception
of a few patients whose illness was fairly severe
the attack was mild and recovery rapid.
One peculiar point about the outbreak was the
failure of the public to notify the Public Health Depart-