1898] NOTES AND COMMENTS 295 



7. The Colon group of bacilli is frequently found in shellfish, 

 as sold in towns, and especially in the oyster ; but we have no evi- 

 dence that it occurs in Mollusca living in pure sea-water. The 

 natural inference that the presence of the Colon bacillus invariably 

 indicates sewage contamination must, however, not be considered 

 established without further investigation. 



8. The Colon group may be separated into two divisions — (1) 

 those giving the typical reactions of the Colon bacillus, and (2) those 

 giving corresponding negative reactions, and so approaching the 

 typhoid type ; but in no case was an organism giving all the reac- 

 tions of the B. typhosus isolated. It ought to be remembered, how- 

 ever, that our samples of oysters, although of various kinds and 

 from different sources, were in no case, so far as we are aware, 

 derived from a bed known to be contaminated or suspected of 

 typhoid. 



9. Consequently, as the result of our investigations, and the 

 consideration of much evidence, both from the oyster-growers' and 

 the public health officers' point of view, we beg to recommend : — 



(a) That the necessary steps should be taken to induce the 

 oyster trade to remove any possible suspicion of sewage contamina- 

 tion from the beds and layings from which oysters are supplied to 

 the market. This could obviously be effected in one of two ways, 

 either (1) by restrictive legislation and the licensing of beds only 

 after due inspection by the officials of a Government department, or 

 (2) by the formation of an association amongst the oyster-growers 

 and dealers themselves, which should provide for the due periodic 

 examination of the grounds, stores and stock, by independent 

 properly -qualified inspectors. Scientific assistance and advice 

 given by such independent inspectors would go far to improve the 

 condition of the oyster beds and layings, to reassure the public, 

 and to elevate the oyster industry to the important position which 

 it should occupy. 



(b) Oysters imported from abroad (Holland, France, or America) 

 should be consigned to a member of the " Oyster Association," who 

 should be compelled by the regulations to have his foreign oysters 

 as carefully inspected and certificated as those from his home layings. 

 A large proportion of the imported oysters are, however, deposited 

 in our waters for such a period before going to market that the fact 

 of their having originally come from abroad may be ignored. If 

 this period of quarantine were imposed upon all foreign oysters, a 

 great part of the difficulty as to inspection and certification would 

 be removed. 



(c) The grounds from which mussels, cockles and periwinkles 

 are gathered should be periodically examined by scientific inspectors 

 in the same manner as the oyster beds. The duty of providing for 



