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33
ENTERIC FEVER.
"The s.s. "Flandria," of Ghent, from Cherbourg, via Guernsey, arrived at
Gravesend on the 27th April. One of the crew, a fireman, was taken ill in
Cherbourg, and on arrival at Gravesend was found to be in a very serious
condition. The Medical Officer who boarded the vessel thought the case very
suspicious of Enteric Fever, and ordered the removal of the patient to Denton
Hospital, where a more careful examination was made. The patient then
presented the signs and symptoms of Cerebro-Spinal Meningitis or
Spotted Fever. His condition became worse and he was quite unconscious
and finally died on 1st May. A post-mortem examination revealed lesions of
Enteric Fever in the intestines and also meningitis of the brain and spinal
chord. A bacteriological examination of the fluid from the spinal canal
showed that it did not contain the organism of epidemic Cerebro-Spinal
Meningitis, but abundant colonies of the organism of Enteric Fever were
discovered.
DECEASED SEAMEN'S EFFECTS.
On the 31st January last I received a letter from the Superintendent of
the Mercantile Marine Office, at Dock Street, London, E., stating that the
effects of a seaman who had died of Enteric Fever had been forwarded by the
Consul at Dunkirk, and that the effects had not been disinfected. They were
accordingly removed to the Hospital at Denton and disinfected by means of
superheated steam.
On July 26th, I received a telegram informing me that certain effects of a
deceased seaman had been landed in Tilbury Dock. On making enquiries it
was ascertained that these were the effects of a man who had died abroad of
Enteric Fever.
The effects had not been disinfected, and were brought to this country as
cargo.
It is customary to remove all such effects to Denton for the purpose of
disinfection, unless documentary evidence is produced to the effect that the
articles have either been satisfactorily disinfected or that the cause of death
was not due to infectious disease.