TAINTED MILK

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 270, 11 August 1919, Page 6

TAINTED MILK

AN OUTBREAK OF ENTERIC FEVER TRACING AN EPIDEMIC IN WELLINGTON The story of how a small outbreak of enteric fever was caused in Wellington by the "employment of an infected man at a dairy farm is told by the District Health Officer, Dr. M. H. Watt, in the "Journal of Public Health." Tho particulars aro of interest illustrating tho importance of a pure milk supply. ■ 'Tho iirst easo was notified on April 23, while within the succeeding fortnight twenty additional eases were brought before the notice of the Health Department," says Dr. Watts. ''The milk supply of the households from which the iirst two cases wero reported was the same, and, as no cases of ontaric fever had occurred in Wellington for some months previously, suspicion was aroused that tiio infection had been milk-borne. Consequently an officer of the Department visited the farm concerned and made careful inquiry into the state of health of those handling the milk. It was found that of the three milkers at the farm two were newcomers, aud could not for that reason be held accountable for the cases under investigation. All threo were in perfect health.

"Information was obtained, however, that a former employee had been forced to give up work on April 1 on account of an illness which had been present for about a fortnight, and of _ which the symptoms were highly suspicious of enteric fever. This individual was traood to an institution in Wellington, and was subjected to bactcriological examination. when it was clearly established that he was just convalescent from an attack of enteric fever, being still in a highly infective condition. He was promptly isolated and put on appropriate treatment. To ensure that no other focus of infection remained unrecognised the other employee at the farm, who had been in contact with this enteric patient,. was examined bacteriologically, but with negative results. "Between April 23 and the present date thirty-four cases have occurred definitely attributable to this milk supply, twenty-six being primary and due to the ingestion of the contaminated milk, eight being secondary and duo to infection from other cases in the household. The thirty-four cases, of whom twenty-four were female and ten male, wore distributed amongst fifteen households in the following manner: Two households, fix cases; , one household, three cases; seven households, two cases each: Jivo households, oTle case each. The age-distribution of tho cases was as undor: Under 15 years, oloven cases; 18 to 20, five cases; 21 to 30, ten cases; 31 to -10, three cases; '11 to 50, two cases) 51 to GO, three cases. "Owing to the presence of influenza and tho similarity between the earlier stages of enteric fever and this disease, several of the cases were in the first instance notified as influenza. In addition to tho thirty-four cases detailed above, three other eases were notified during tho same period in Wellington city. Ono was a returned soldier who hail been travelling throughout New Zealand, and who probably acquired his infection outside of Wellington. Tho other two were individuals who were in tho habit of having meals in any restaurant or hotel, and who may therefore have partaken of some of the infected milk."