Day 107 - 24 Mar 95 - Page 69


     
     1        and another to meet it, but I am interested in your view
     2        since you are here as an expert.
     3        A.  Can I say, Mr. Rampton, I sometimes hold extreme views
     4        and what I am trying to do is to give you what I think is
     5        the general consensus.
     6
     7   Q.   That could hardly be described as an extreme view?
     8        A.  It is funny how people can get terribly worked up on
     9        very small things.
    10
    11   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Do not concern yourself about it.  I just
    12        wanted to know, have some idea, of what the body's defences
    13        might be to these infections.
    14
    15   MR. RAMPTON:  Can we go back then on a slightly different tack,
    16        but not in the least bit unconnected to tab 8 which is your
    17        paper, A Failure of Government.  One small point on page
    18        35, paragraph 4.1.12?
    19        A.  Yes.
    20
    21   Q.   "Changes in farming practice:  Oddly enough, the bulk of
    22        the changes in farming took place immediately after the
    23        war, through the fifties and sixties.  Since then, the rate
    24        of change has declined, as many of the productivity
    25        enhancing practices have become established.
    26
    27        Some of the more obnoxious practises, such as feeding
    28        chickens their own manure, ceased well before any
    29        significant increase in food poisoning was observed.   This
    30        practice, carried out in a small way, was killed by the
    31        increase energy costs resulting from the closure of the
    32        Suez canal after the Yom Kippur war in 1978."  Then you
    33        explain how it became too expensive.
    34
    35        You write about a personal investigation which you yourself
    36        did.  As far as you know, is that a true statement of the
    37        history of feeding their own manure to chickens?
    38        A.  As far as I am aware, yes.
    39
    40   Q.   I am much more interested on this, Mr. North, on page 39 at
    41        4.3.2:  "Sources of contamination", at the bottom of the
    42        page.  I would like, if I may, to read this and this next
    43        succeeding paragraph 4.3.3:  "If the outbreak originates
    44        from a catering operation, there are, as is identified in
    45        the Ottringham outbreak report and the others described
    46        later, always five possible sources of contamination.
    47
    48        1. The foods used in the preparation of the meat which
    49        caused the illness.
    50 
    51        2.  The food handlers who prepared the meal:  Any one of 
    52        these may harbour the organism. 
    53
    54        3.  Pests:  Rats, mice, insects including flies and
    55        cockroaches; in a domestic catering environment, pets may
    56        also be a source.
    57
    58        4.  Other foods:  Contaminated raw meats, from which
    59        bacteria may be passed on by the mechanism of
    60        cross-contamination.

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