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39
ANTHRAX.
One case of Anthrax (fatal) was notified during 1918.
The patient lived in a Rowton House in St. Panoras, and worked at a
wharf in the City. The illness began as a pimple on the face, and the patient
attended at Guy's Hospital for the first time on April 4th, when the place then
had a black centre and a large red indurated zone around, and was considered
to be about three days old. Death took place on April 6th, and an inquest
was held at the Southwark Coroner's Court. The diagnosis was bacteriologically
confirmed,
The infection was probably contracted in the course of the man's work,
which was; at a Thames-side wharf in the City where Siberian horse hair was
being handled.
OTHER NOTIFIABLE INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
No cases of smallpox, typhus, cholera, plague or human glanders or
hydrophobia were reported in St. Pancras during the year.
As usual, persons who had been in contact with smallpox and other exotic
diseases (mostly on shipboard) were reported and were kept under observation,
with negative results in all cases.
A number of soldiers were reported as having returned to St. Pancras
after suffering from dysentery, enteric, and malaria. No cases of these
diseases were caused by their return.
INFLUENZA.
The year 1918 was characterised by the occurrence of a world-wide wave of
influenza, in which St. Pancras was involved with the rest of London.