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61
Sub-district of Putney and Roehampton.
danger from this cause than from a direct escape of sewer
air into the house.
Another precaution taken I have found of considerable
benefit. All school teachers have been directed to
watch any children complaining of sore throat, and
to prevent them attending school unless they can
produce a doctor's certificate to the effect that they are
not suffering from anything of an infectious character.
This is a measure I consider of the greatest importance,
more especially at times of epidemic sore throat.
Typhoid Fever.—16 cases of typhoid fever were notified
to me, of which 3 proved fatal. 13 of these cases
occurred during the fourth quarter of the year, 2 in the
third quarter and 1 in the first quarter. Five of these
cases were removed to hospital. This disease was
unusually prevalent over London during the last quarter
of the year, affecting to a very great extent the upper
classes of society. It has, I think, been undoubtedly
shown that many cases were the result of eating oysters.
Of the 3 fatal cases which occurred in this sub-district,
1 of them at least was, in my opinion, due to this cause.
It was the case of a temperate and careful living man.
No sanitary defects were found in the house. He was not
a water drinker. About ten days before the symptons
appeared, on going up to market in the morning he partook
freely of oysters, and by a process of exclusion 1 am
driven to conclude that this was the only probable source
of infection.
Diarrlicea and Dysentery was the cause of death in 6
cases which occurred during the summer months in young
children.