London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London

Hampstead 1905

Report for the year 1905 of the Acting Medical Officer of Health

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53
In every case of Enteric Fever occurring in the Borough, I have
made special investigations with the object of detecting the cause and
origin of the disease. Thus, the habits, food, occupation, and movements
of the patient prior to the onset of his illness have been ascertained, and
I append a table of the results of these enquiries. It will there be seen
that nearly half of the cases of Enteric Fever occurring in 1905 were
direct importations from outside districts, and in at least five instances,
the disease was contracted outside England altogether at points as widely
apart as Toronto and Moscow.

Table: Enteric Fever has an incubation period of usually 12 to 14 days, andI am assuming this to have been so in the Enteric Fever cases of 1905, of which the following arc the chief points of interest.

Enteric Fever has an incubation period of usually 12 to 14 days, andI am assuming this to have been so in the Enteric Fever cases of 1905, of which the following arc the chief points of interest.

Case No.Initials and Age.Locality.History of Case.
1A. S., 31Southampton RoadNotified 23rd January. The patient was a sewer labourer and had been following his employment up to the onset of his illness.
2N. Q., 17 AFrognal Parade, Finchley RoadNotified 21st February. No history of the place or origin of infection could be ascertained.
3W. M. 13Church LaneNotified 25th March. Beyond the fact that the patient had been recently eating winkles, no history of the infection could be traced. Case terminated fatally on 7th April.
4A. S., 22Netherwood StreetNotified 15th April. The patient returned ill from Clacton-on-Sea. Case terminated fatally on 15th April.
5E. S. 20Belsize LaneNotified 5th May. The patient was a lady's maid, and had returned from Venice eight days previously.
6C. R., 5Fortune Green RoadNotified llth May. No history of infection could be ascertained, but the drains of the house were found to be exceedingly defective.
7A. R., 14½Hemstal RoadNotified 25th May. No history of the place or origin of infection could be ascertained.
8E. S. 27Frognal Lane.Notified 15th July. The patient was a lady's maid, and had recently returned from Switzerland feeling unwell.