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If, on the other hand, it is alleged or suspected that the fish is
contaminated by a carrier case—the fault lies with the carrier and
not with the fish handled by him. Against the fish and carrier
theory is the circumstance that an outbreak depending on this
cause would in all probability be a continuous one and associated
with fish shops in which the "carrier" served and the cases that
occurred would follow in his steps from shop to shop. In the
present instance such a series of events has not been found on
enquiry—no carriers have been identified.
One of the cases notified was a hawker who occasionally sold
watercress, and fruit in the streets. It is possible that this man
or any other hawker with typhoid may have infected others—and
the more readily inasmuch as watercress is only washed perfunctorily
before eating, and fruit may not be washed at all, so
that if contaminated the pollution would remain: unlike fish,
watercress is not boiled so that the typhoid germs, if present,
would have a reasonable chance of survival.
Diagnosis. Specimens of blood in suspected cases of Typhoid
Fever are examined free of charge at the Public Health Department.
In 1910, eleven specimens of blood were received—one
gave a positive re-action, the rest were negative.
SCARLET FEVER.
The number of notifications 126, and the number of deaths 4,
are both less than they have been in any previous year since the
Borough was formed.
With the exception of 15 cases, all the rest, 111 in number, were
in children between one and 15 years.
The deaths were 3.17 per cent, of the total number of cases, or
one in every 31 children affected, died.
Two cases were treated at home—suitable measures being
taken to ensure the isolation of the patient; the rest, 124, were
treated in hospital.