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some quarters it is suggested that this may in a measure be due
to the large number of invalids continuously returning from
South Africa retaining infection in their persons and clothing, and
this seems highly probable and may account for some of the
cases where no other cause was traceable.
Although not imported from abroad many cases have been
clearly found to have been contracted outside Battersea, particularly
during the period of the summer holidays. Many persons
after spending a few weeks in different parts of England returned
to Battersea to be stricken down with Enteric Fever within a few
days. In each of these cases the Medical Officers of Health
were communicated with.
In a few other cases, patients had consumed shell-fish, but
it could not be proved that this had been the cause of the
illness.
Other cases were clearly traceable to personal infection, four
occurring in one house where an unrecognised case had been kept
at home occupying the same room as other members of the
family, and even when two of the further cases had occurred
considerable difficulty was experienced in persuading the parents
to allow the cases to be removed. The Medical Officer of Health,
however visited and insisted upon removal and this was speedily
effected. The fourth case occurring a few days later was also
removed.
A group of cases occurred in Lintord Street which was
doubtless also the result of personal infection, the class of people
occupying the houses being such as are always in and out of their
neighbours' houses. Notwithstanding that in every case prompt
removal to hospital was carried out, immediately followed by
disinfection, eleven cases occurred during the year, and taking
into consideration the number of houses in the street this shewed
the worst record in Battersea. Of the eleven cases, one was of
quite an isolated character, occurring in March, but the remaining