SALMONELLOSIS OUTBREAK

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27397, 9 July 1954, Page 10

SALMONELLOSIS OUTBREAK

TWELVE NEW CASES IN FOUR DAYS INVESTIGATION OF RAW MILK SUPPLY Last week, two cases of salmonellosis were reported in Christchurch. Since Monday, 12 new cases have been notified, most of them in the area about the Fendalton end of Clyde road, but with instances from several other parts of the city. The Deputy Medical Officer of Health (Dr. H. T. Knights) said yesterday that of the 12 new cases, 10 had been definitely proved to be consumers of raw milk. Thus, he said, the co-j relation between the consumption of raw milk and the incidence of salmonellosis was very strong. Investigations were being continued into the bulked raw milk supply, Dr. Knights said.

Since the beginning of June, the total number of cases reported was about 20. Dr. Knights said. Most were in Fendalton, but there had been sporadic cases ,in St. Albans and the Lin wood-Woolston area. Dr. Knights said he would repeat his warning against the consumption of raw milk. In England, an epidemic of salmonellosis had occurred through the consumption of tuberculin-tested, but raw milk. There had been no further advice of the progress of the outbreak of bacillary dysentery in the Chatham Islands, said Dr. Knights, and he would have heard had anything untoward occurred.