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4-3
Parish of Clapharn.
At the end of March and in April I noticed that several
cases of enteric fever occurred, all getting their milk from
the same vendor in Lambeth. I communicated with the
medical officer of health for Lambeth, who informed me
that the same was the case in his district, and that the
supply was to be discontinued from the particular source
apparently causing the illness. I was afterwards informed
that a tank of water was found to be highly polluted with
organic matter; but t hat it was only intended to be used for
washing the carts, though it had also been used, unknown
to the proprietor, for washing the milk churns, and no
doubt some of it found its way into the milk. The tank was
removed and the epidemic ceased. There were 7 cases
in Clapham, in April, traced to this milk. Most of the
district supplied with this milk was in Lambeth, and I
understand the cases that occurred there were very
numerous.
Puerperal Fever.—3 cases were notified ; there were no
deaths however.
Erysipelas.—54 cases were notified during the year.
Measles was the cause of 17 deaths, a less number than
in any year since 1890. It is probable that there was
but little of this disease last year, but of that, of course,
I have no certain information. When information of
measles has been given me, all the children in the house
have been prevented from going to school until sufficient
time has elapsed to ensure that none of them are incubating
the disease. I think if that could be universally
applied, much would result in lessening the spread of
measles, and the advantage of being able to do so would,
I think, be the great gain of the notification of measles,
Whooping Cough caused only 12 deaths, less than in
any of the 10 preceding years.