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129
In the Decennium 1871-80 England lost by Enteric Fever 33 in
every 100,000 persons living, but in the Decennium ending 1910 the
loss was only 9 in the same number living. In the last Annual Report
of the Medical Officer of the Local Government Board it is pointed
out that had the death-rate for the year 1910 been the same as the
mean-rate for the period 1871-80, the deaths from Enteric Fever would
have amounted to over 11,000 instead of the 1848 for 1910. The
saving of nearly 10,000 lives in a single year implies the non occurrence
of 70,000 fewer cases of a disabling illness and a correspondingly
diminished loss of national efficiency. It is further calculated that
the total money saving in respect of Enteric Fever alone cannot be less
than £3,000,000 sterling. Prominent among the causes of this enormous
reduction of Enteric Fever prevalence is undoubtedly the general
provision of safer water supplies.
A sufficient isolation hospital provision for Enteric Fever plavs
a most important role in reducing the prevalence of the disease; for,
although it is not infectious in the same way th.at Scarlet Fever is. the
danger, to those in attendance upon the patient far exceeds that
involved in Scarlet Fever, or even Diphtheria; hence it is a matter
of very common occurrence that cases nursed at home are responsible
for secondary cases subsequently occurring in the same households.
DIPHTHERIA.
The 77 cases of Diphtheria occurred in 72 houses, 10 of which
were more or less insanitary. The 'sanitary defects were grave in 3
and slight in 7 instances.