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
Battersea 1907
Report on the health of the Metropolitan Borough of Battersea for the year 1907
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Between the 12th and 31st of August I received the following
notifications :—
| Date of Notification. | Name. | Age. | Address. | Date of Onset of Fever. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Aug. | Bessie G. | 24 Eccles Road | 28 July | |
| 12 ,, | Lily S. | 12 | 131B Queens Road | 30 ,, |
| 12 ,, | William A. H. | 3 | 111 Stormont Road | 2 Aug. |
| 15 ,, | Jeannie C. | 39 | ia Gambetta Street | 14 July |
| 19 ,, | Walter H. | 23 | 19 Stewarts Lane,W. | 3 Aug. |
| 20 ,, | Mabel E. | 16 | 9 Randall Street | 13 ,, |
| 21 ,, | Henry B. | 28 | 56 Jedburgh Street | 5 ,, |
| 23 ,, | Frederick F | 27 | 33 Marmion Road | 13 ,, |
| 31 ,, | Herbert P. | 3 | 23a Theatre Street | 17 ,, |
It will be noted that 8 of the 9 cases occurred in the same
vicinity. Mabel E., who was a domestic servant, employed at
15 Lavender Hill, having been sent home ill to 9 Randall Street.
Enteric fever may be spread in several ways, e.g. (a) by
personal contact, (b) by an infected water supply, (c) by infected
premises or materials, (d) by defective drainage, and (e) by
infected food.
Careful enquiries were made in each case, but the information
obtained did not tend to throw much light on the source of
infection. Two of these cases had been away for a holiday,
one at Boxmoor and the other in Norfolk. Enquiries were
made from the Sanitary Authorities of both localities, with
negative results. It is possible, though there was no proof
forthcoming, that these two patients, who returned to London
about the critical period, may have contracted the disease from
drinking polluted water or eating contaminated food.