[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Richmond upon Thames].

  • Richmond upon Thames (London, England). Council.
Date:
[1971]
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)

Credit: [Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Richmond upon Thames]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    17/114 (page 15)
    This Department was informed and the remains of the turkey were immediately sent to the Public Health Laboratory for analysis. Clostridium welchii was isolated. This organism is usually found to be present in the live animal as distinct from being infected by careless handling. The organism is highly resistant to cooking, and thrives on warm heat. This case is typical of food poisoning caused by Clostridium welchii. Almost certainly the live bird carried the organism which cooking failed to destroy. One person only was mildly affected when the meat was eaten hot, but when the carcass was left to slowly cool the organisms multipled with the result that when the meat was consumed cold all persons were seriously affected. Previous years figures are as follows:— 1962 14 1967 3 1963 6 1968 30 1964 8 1969 22 1965 6 1970 11 1966 — Infective Jaundice. Thirty-seven cases were notified during the year of which ten were admitted to hospital In one episode a mother and two sons were involved and in another three children in the same family were affected, but all other cases were isolated incidents. In December 1970 arrangements were made with West Middlesex Hospital to assist in a pilot survey of the epidemiological aspects of the disease and this trial is still in progress. The age distribution of the notified cases was as follows: M. F. Total Under 1 year — — — 1 year — — — 2 years 1 — 1 3 years — 1 1 4 years — — — 5—9 years — — — 10—14 3 3 6 15—24 8 6 14 25—34 „ 6 3 9 35—44 „ — — — 45—64 „ 1 1 2 65+ 3 1 4 TOTAL 22 15 37 Smallpox. No cases of smallpox were notified during the year. Under the Public Health (Aircraft) Regulations, 1966, and the Public Health (Ships) Regulations, 1966 arrivals in this country from endemic areas who are not in possession of valid international certificates of vaccination against Smallpox are placed under surveillance by the Port or Airport Medical Officer for a period of fourteen days. 43 such cases of persons proceeding to addresses situated in the Borough were notified during the year. All were kept under surveillance for the stipulated period. 15