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36
The death rate in each year since 18G8 in relation to the mean death rate of the period
1869-99 is shown in diagram Xlil.

The actual occurrences of typhus daring the year appear to be as follows—
A man, aged 24, a carman, living in a common lodging-house in Rotherhithe, suffered from
typhus in January and was removed to St. Olave's Infirmary, and subsequently to the fever hospital
where he died. The source of infection could not be discovered.
On October 8th, a boy, S., aged 16, was admitted into the London Hospital; on October 14th,
he was certified to be suffering from enteric fever and was removed to the Eastern Hospital, where his
disease was diagnosed as typhus. The boy was a tailors' presser, did not work under unhealthy
conditions, and no source of infection could be discovered.
On October 18th, a tailor. H. J., aged 42, who had just come from Germany, was admitted into
the London Hospital, and was removed on November 1st to the South-Eastern Hospital, the disease
having been recognised as typhus. No source of infection could be discovered.
In November two sisters—M. C, aged 12, S. C., aged 16—were removed to the London
Hospital from Dorset-street, Whitechapel, the former, who was a school girl, on November 24th, the
latter, who was employed in charing, on November 30th. These persons were certified to be suffering
from enteric fever, and both were removed to different hospitals of the Metropolitan Asylums Board,
where the elder girl's illness was recognised to be typhus, and the younger girl's illness, which was
less definite, was no doubt the same. No source of infection could be discovered.
The remaining cases occurred in Bermondsey, St. George-the-Martyr, and Newington, and
the following account is in the main based upon information obtained from Dr. Dixon of Bermondsey
and Dr. Waldo of St. George-the-Martyr.
In January a man, R. C. W., employed in an asbestos factory, was removed to King's College
Hospital, where he died. The cause of his death was at the time believed to be enteritis, due to some
form of poisoning, possibly ptomaine. His body was taken to his home in Minto-street, where it;
remained unburied for a week, the coffin not being screwed down. On the 12th February his brother,
F. J. W., aged 16, was admitted into Guy's Hospital, where he was thought to be suffering from
enteric fever. On the loth February a boy lodger, J. H. F., in the house in Minto-street, was
removed to Guy's Hospital, where his illness was also thought to be enteric fever.
On the 14th February, a married woman, M. W., aged 51, mother of R. C. W. and F. J. W.,
was removed to the Park Hospital on a certificate that she was suffering from enteric fever.
On the 18th February, a man, R. W., aged 51, husband of M. W. and father of R. C. W. and
F. J. W., was certified in Guy's Hospital to be suffering from enteric fever. He died on the 22nd
February, and no lesion of the intestine being found post mortem, his illness was considered to be
typhus.
On the 19tli February, a married woman, R. B., daughter of R. W., was removed to Guy's
Hospital from a house in Southwark-bridge-road. Her illness was recognised to be typhus, and she
was transferred on the 28rd February to the South-Eastern Hospital.
On the 21st February, a boy, G. W., aged 11, brother to R. C. W., was admitted into St. Olave's
Union Infirmary and certified on the 7th March to be suffering from typhus. This boy was removed
from a married sister's house (Mrs. A. K.), in Weston-street, Bermondsey, where he was temporarily
staying during the illness of his family.
On the 4th March, a girl, A. W., aged 14, sister of R. C. W., who had been lodging in another
house in Minto-street, and had taken lier meals in her sister's (Mrs. A. K.) house in Weston-street, was
admitted into Guy's Hospital, and was certified to be suSering from typhus on March 5.
On the 25th March a married woman, A. K., daughter of M. W, was removed from a house in
Weston-street, to the South-Eastern Hospital, her illness being typhus. In addition to the fact that
the brother, G. W., had stayed with her for some period up to bis removal to hospital when suffering
from typhus, one other member of the family A. W. had been taking meals with her.
It is now necessary to revert to tho case of the boy J. II. F., admitted into Guy's Hospital on the
13th February. Dr. Waldo ascertained that this boy had been left by his mother, Mrs. F., at the house
in Minto-street, on the 17th December, 1898, to remain there during her absence in Guy's Hospital to
which she was admitted on the 18th December, her illness being believed at the time to be enteric fever.
She also lived in Minto-street but in a different house from the W. family. The only conclusion that
can be arrived at is that she was suffering from typhus at the time of her visit to tho W.'s house, and
that her association with that family led to their infection with typhus. Tho question is when did
Mrs. F. become infected ? Enquiry by Dr. Waldo showed a probable connection between her illness and
that of a brushmaker living in Walker-street, St. George, Southwark, who, in October, 1898, was
recognised to be suffering from typhus in the out-patient room of Guy's Hospital. I gave an account of
this case in my annual report for that year. This man, K., lived with his parents, two brothers and a
sister, and when he was removed to hospital all the family were admitted to the vestry's reception
house except his father who went to stay with a married son living in Minto-street in the same house as
Mrs. F. This married son removed in December into Tabard-street, Newington, where, on the 13th
January, be was attacked with some illness, and removed in a delirious condition to the Newington workhouse
where he died on the 18th January. It is Etated that his wife was taken ill about the same time
and died at home on the 14th January.