BRITISH HEALTH REPORT

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26515, 1 September 1951, Page 7

BRITISH HEALTH REPORT

INCREASE IN FOOT) POISONING

LONDON, August 30. A report on the nation’s health issued by the chief officer of the Health Ministry (Sir John Charles) draws attention to the “real and substantial” increases in food poisoning cases in Britain in the last 10 years. It says that the number of notified cases in 1949 exceeded 6000, affecting at least 11,000 persons, and it gives three main reasons for the increase. These were:

(1) Cooked meats being kept overnight and reheated because of the need to economise in the use of rationed meat. • (2) . The increase of communal feeding in schools, mines and factory canteens. The practice in canteens of cooking meat or gravy a day ahead in large containers was dangerous. The containers cooled slowly and so encouraged bacteria. (3) Neglect of personal cleanliness, often through lack of facilities, the rationing of supplies, and the shortage of staff. The report said that 195 of the outbreaks of food poisoning could be attributable to processed, made-up, or reheated meat. The report paid a tribute to the standards of cleanliness in London's restaurants. In the City of London, where 250,000 main meals were daily served in more than 1000 catering places, not one case of food poisoning was reported in 1949. “All this food poisoning is largely preventable by strict adherence to hygienic practice," said the report. Describing investigations into the purity of the air during the rush hour in London's undergrounds, the report says that the air in the tube train is a great deal more free from "respiratory cross-infection” than has been supposed. The report says: “If influenza and poliomyelitis be excepted, 1949 was, as regards infectious diseases, a good year.” Poliomyelitis Increases Deaths from tuberculosis showed a remarkable decline of 10 per cent, on the previous year, but for poliomyelitis 1949, with more than 6000 cases notified, was the worst on record except for 1947. Nevertheless, the number of deaths did not equal the total from measles and whooping cough combined.

In the three years, 1947-49, more cases of poliomyelitis were reported than in the preceding 20 years. “The prevalence of the disease seems now to be established at a much higher level than before.” says the report. The number of deaths due to cancer increased by 1200 to 80,000. The report added that a comparison of infant mortality in the last 28 years in various countries showed Sweden’s as the lowest, followed by New Zealand, England, and the United States.

Mexicans Drowned in Floods.— An Armv doctor reported to-day that in the floods in Mexico after the recent hurricane 50 people had been drowned in the Village of La Paloma, on the banks of the Guayalejo river, between Elmante and Tampico. This brings the total number of deaths caused by the hurricane since it struck Jamaica on August 17 to more than 260.—Mexico City, August 30.