FOOD POISONING CASES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18324, 14 February 1923, Page 11

FOOD POISONING CASES.

PATIENTS GETTING BETTER. CAUSES OF CONTAMINATION MENACE OF THE HOUSE FLY. Satisfactory progress toward recovery continues to be made by the Auckland patient* suffering from food poisoning. Up to last evening no fresh cases had been reported. There was, however one falsa alarm, the assistant medical- officer of health, Dr. J. Boyd, being notified that three children were 31, with it was assumed, food poisoning. In this instance the children had been given ,» prompt close of oil, and when seen by the doctor they showed no indication of any ailment. It is not, perhaps, surprising that a certain amount of apprehension should pwvail when children complain of suddenly t i;™« unwell. At the same suddenly feeling unwen. « time there is no reason for undue alarm, I„d anvthii* in the nature of panic should be strongly resisted. Th« bacteriological examination of the Jc earn suspected, rightly or wrongly Shaving been the cause of the Baker Street outbreak is being proceeded with. Such an examination cannot be quickly SSied out, and no result is to bo ex pectcd for two or three days. Need lor Cleanliness. Contaminated milk and tinned foods areTwTof the chief causes of food poisonin? In the case of .tinned foods, the trouble is due bo micro-organisms that exist in the tin before, it is opened. When tinned foods are Used they should always be taken from the tin immediately after opening. Otherwise a chemical action may be set up, creating a poison that will cause illness. During the hot weather milk needs ©very care. It must be kept in clean receptacles and covered over to keep flies and dust away. Milk should never be kept in the same cupboard or safe as meat or fish. Dust and flies are undoubtedly two of the perils which need combating in hot, dry weather. The dust in busy streets is impregnated with all sorts of impurities, and if it settles upon uncovered food may cause contamination. Campaign Against Files Urged. As to the fly nuisance, a well-known Auckland doctor spoke strongly and to the point yesterday, when he said: "The house fly 13 a filthy insect, and it would be an excellent idea, from the point of view of the public health, if a 'fly-swat-ting' campaign were organised in Auckland, similar to what is done in America. A campaign of, say, a week's duration, during .which everyone was in honour bound to kill as many flies as possible, would have a good result in diminishing the plague of flies, these food-poisoners, which are so prevalent just now, more especially in the vicinity of stables." As the illnesses reported in Auckland have occurred during the fruit season, people are asking how far, if at all, danger may arise from a free diet of fruit. Both unripe and over-ripe fruit may occasion intestinal disorders, but such troubles are totally distinct from the illnesses which have recently occurred in Baker Street and elsewhere. Illness may be caused at times 'by poisoning from the chemical preparations used in spraying fruit trees, and for that reason all "fruit should be washed In hot, humid weather there is always a difficulty in regard to keeping meat from becoming tainted. • Meat that is tainted may undoubtedly cause distressing internal trouble. The real line of safety lies in eating only perfectly fresh meat, and keeping away dust and the dirty house fly. * ' Value of prompt Action. p •

The one article of food which has come particularly under suspicion in regard to the present cases of food poisoning is icecream. If it is established that this was the cause of so many of the reported cases, it will be necessary to see that the strongest steps are taken to prevent 'a repetition of the trouble. It is just possible, that the use of preservatives in milk may have been the cause of the outbreak. There are certain preservatives which are permitted in specified quantities, but if more than the right quantity is used the result is likely to be detrimental. In the making and selling of ice-cream, it is impossible to over-estimate the need for the most scrupulous cleanliness, and all receptacles in shops should be scalded out thoroughly and frequently. Further, the product should be eaten within a few ours of its being ready for sale. A couple of years ago a number of cases of a very serious character, supposed to have been due to eating certain contaminated foods, were * reported in England. That illness was known as botulism. It may be said emphatically that the sickness which has recently come under the notice of the Health Department in Auckland is in no way associated with the far graver disease known as botulism. Food poisoning cases, if dealt with in good time, and with medical aid promptly called in, generally get quickly . better". Where there is any fear that a patient is suffering from food poisoning the safest course is to administer a good strong dose of castor oil and at once call in the doctor. In incipient cases the dose of castor oil may prove a complete cure.