View report page

Influence of Sewer Ventilators.
In a great number of instances, when enquiries were being
made as to the probable source of infection, complaints were
made of the smells arising from an adjacent open manhole
or ventilator ; and there certainly was a larger proportion of
cases in the houses near the manholes than elsewhere. Thus,
of 231 cases, 96 occurred in houses situated within 10 yards
of a sewer ventilator, and 64 in houses at a distance of from
10 to 20, and as the distance between these ventilators
averages about 80 yards, there were more than twice as many
cases in houses within 20 yards as there were in an equal
number of houses more than 20 yards from a ventilator.
It is quite possible that the offensive emanations from these
ventilators, to which the occupants of adjacent houses are
constantly exposed, may have such an injurious effect on
their general health as to predispose to the disease.
Enteric or Typhoid Fever.
Thirty-seven cases were notified, against 58 last year; and
the disease was the cause of 5 deaths, the case mortality—13
per cent.—being markedly lower than last year, when 16, or
271, of the cases proved fatal. On referring to Table H
in the Appendix, it will be seen that the rate of incidence of
this disease was lower in Fulham than in any Metropolitan
Sanitary District.
Twenty-six patients were removed to the Hospital.
In the majority of instances the disease was apparently
contracted outside the parish.
Continued Fever.
Two cases were notified.
Puerperal Fever.
Ten cases were notified, of which seven proved fatal, the
deaths from septic poisoning after childbirth being in the
proportion of 1.8 deaths to 1000 births. Each of the ten
patients was attended by a different medical practitioner
and nurse.