OYSTERS AND TYPHOID 255 



Exeter, Blackpool, and other places. In 1902 occurred the outbreaks 

 of typhoid fever and similar illnesses at Winchester and Southampton, 

 following upon the consumption (at mayoral banquets) of oysters 

 derived from some oyster-beds at Emsvi^orth. From the same beds at 

 the same time oysters vi^ere obtained which apparently caused cases of 

 the disease at Portsmouth, Brighton, Ventnor, Hove, and Eastbourne. 

 The matter was inquired into by Dr Timbrell Bulstrode, who found 

 that at Winchester, out of a total of 134 guests at the banquet, 62 

 or 46'3 per cent, were attacked with illness ; and at Southampton 

 mayoral banquet, out of 132 guests, 55 or 41'6 per cent, were attacked 

 with illness. Eleven of these cases were enteric fever, and 44 were 

 cases of gastro-enteritis. In the two outbreaks 266 persons were 

 guests, 21 (or 7'8 per cent.) were attacked with enteric fever, and 118 

 (or 44"3 per cent.) suffered from other illness. All those who had no 

 oysters escaped enteric fever. After a nainute inquiry Dr Bulstrode 

 came to the following conclusion : — (a) Two mayoral banquets occur on 

 the same day in separate towns several miles apart ; (&) in connection 

 with each banquet there occurs iUness of analogous nature attacking, 

 approximately speaking, the same percentage of guests and at cor- 

 responding intervals ; (c) at both banquets not every guest partook 

 of oysters, but all those who suffered enteric fever, and approxi- 

 mately all those who suffered other illness, did partake of oysters, 

 the exceptions to this rule appearing insignificant when all the facts 

 are marshalled; (d) oysters derived directly from the same source 

 constituted the only article of food which was common to the guests 

 attacked; and (e) oysters from this source were at the same time 

 and in other places proving themselves competent causes of enteric 

 fever. It may be added that the oyster-beds at Emsworth from 

 which the implicated oysters were obtained are in immediate 

 proximity to the outfall of the Emsworth sewers, and had for 

 several years been known to be contaminated beds.* 



In 1902 there also occurred an outbreak of typhoid fever at 

 Mistley and Bardfield in Essex, which was shown to be due to oysters, 

 in which only a small portion of the oysters appears to have been 

 capable of causing illness, and the nature of the illness varied from 

 a mere feeling of nausea and weakness to a fatal attack of typhoid.f 



In 1902 and 1903 further evidence was forthcoming from various 

 sources which went to show the intimate and apparently causal 

 relationship between the consumption of polluted shell-fish and 

 typhoid fever. Dr Nash, of Southend-on-Sea, states that in 1902 

 only 0-4 per cent, of the cases (501) of notifiable infectious diseases 



* Special Report to the Local Government Board, 14th May 1903, by Dr H. 

 Timbrell Bulstrode. See also Foulerton's Report on the Pollution of Tidal Fishing 

 Waters by Sewage, 1903, pp. 31-37. 



t Report of Medical Officer of Essex County Council, 1902, pp. 53-60. 



