Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Leyton]
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22
TYPHOID.
Table XVIII.—Probable Causes of Infection.
Imported | 2 |
Eating Shell Fish | 5 |
Complained of bad smells from ditches on marshes | 2 |
Drinking water obtained from filthy cistern | 1 |
In contact with previous cases | 10 |
Untraceable Causes | 29 |
Suspected Sources of Infection:— | |
Bathing in Highgate Pond | 1 |
Eating Watercress | 1 |
In West Ham Infirmary:— | |
Imported | 45 |
Occurred in the Institution | 2 |
West Ham Union Schools | 1 |
Of the cases occurring outside the Infirmary 30 were moved
into it, five into the London Hospital, and two into Walthamstow
Hospital. Sanitary work was found on inspection to be necessary
in 12 of the houses where Typhoid had occurred, and in six
repairs were necessary to defective drains.
The severest outbreak of Typhoid occurred during September
and October in Temple Mills Crescent, where eight cases occurred
in Nos. 19 and 20, four in each house, and one case at No. 15.
Investigation of the original case, that of a boy of 8 years of age,
proved that both water and milk supply to be perfectly pure. But
I observed that the houses wherein these cases occurred were
infested with flies, and fancy that herein lies the solution of the
mystery. Probably the food supply was entirely unprotected from
these pests, and though it may be an open question whether this
disease can be fly-borne, still more care in the matter of protecting