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24
recovering. The stables were not used for horses, but were occupied as
a private garage for a gentleman's motor-car. My suspicions were
aroused as to the possibility of these being cases of glanders ; and after
communication with the medical attendant, it was decided to inform
tho coroner.
An inquest was accordingly held, and the post-mortem examination
was entrusted to the pathologist on the staff of St. Mary's Hospital.
The result, however, proved negative as to the presence of the Bacillus
Mallei in any of the lesions or organs of the deceased person, and a
negative result also followed upon the inoculation of a guinea-pig.
Voluntary Notification of Phthisis.—During the year 1908, 28
cases of pulmonary tuberculosis were notified by medical practitioners, as
against 10 in 1907. Nine medical practitioners notified cases in 1908.
In addition 10 notifications were received from the medical staff of the
Brompton Hospital for Consumption during the last quarter of the year.
During the month of January, in the present year, 80 notifications
have been received from the Medical Superintendent of the Chelsea
Infirmary, in respect of cases of pulmonary tuberculosis in the Infirmary,
under the Public Health (Tuberculosis) Regulations, 1908, which came
into force on the 1st January, 1909.
The following Table is of interest as showing that out of the total
of 80 cases, 60, or 75 per cent., were males, and 20, or 25 per cent., were
females, which shows a proportion of males to females not very different
from that exhibited by the mortalities of the years 1901—8, viz., 63
per cent, males, 37 per cent, females. The age periods, 45-55 and 55-65
show the largest numbers of patients admitted to the Infirmary, namely,
21 in each. All the 13 cases admitted from the Common Lodging
Houses were males, the age-period chiefly affected being that of 55-65.
Assuming that 80 is the average number of phthisical patients
present during the year in Chelsea Infirmary, and taking 52 as the
average annual number of deaths from this disease in this Institution
(average of the years 1900-8), it follows that 65 per cent. of the
patients die in the course of one year, or the average life of the
phthisical Infirmary patient is about 19 months.
Table XXI.—Classification of Phthisis Cases notified from the
Chelsea Workhouse Infirmary, in January, 1909.
Previous Address.
Age
15-25.
Age
25-35.
Age
35-45.
Age
45-55.
Age
65-65.
Age 65
and over.
Totals.
M.
F.
M.
F.
M.
F.
M.
F.
M.
F.
M.
F.
Private Houses
1
_
5
2
9
2
11
4
9
5
5
3
56
Common Lodging Houses
_
_
2
2
3
_
_
1
13
Hospitals & Institutions
—
—
—
_
1
1
_
2
Chelsea Workhouse
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
2
2
Homeless
—
—
1
1
—
_
1
_
1
_
_
_
4
From Outside Districts
—
—
—
—
—
1
1
—
—
1
—
3
Totals
1
—
8
3
11
3
17
4
16
5
7
5
80