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45
Epidemic Cerebro spinal Meningitis. There were four
cases of this disease notified during the year, one of which was
in East Greenwich, and three in St. Nicholas. All the patients
were between the ages of 5 and 15 years.
In the case of J.R., the East Greenwich patient, he was
removed to Guy's Hospital, having been suffering from severe
pains in the back for about a fortnight. The patient had difficulty
in opening his mouth, and became unable to stand, and suffered
from slight general spasms. No eruption was noticed, but he
died about two hours after his admission to the Hospital. On
examination of the cerebro-spinal fluid after death, the specific
micro-organism of this disease was discovered, and until this had
been found, the case had been considered to be one of Tetanus.
The conditions of the house where the patient lived were quite
satisfactory, clean, and not at all verminous, and no other illness
had effected other inmates of the house for a considerable period.
The other three cases were all members of one family, and
were removed to the Hospital for treatment. On investigation
by the Staff of this Department, it was thought however, that the
illness was doubtless attributable to indiscretion in diet, and the
Hospital authorities speedily also came to this conclusion,
the patients being discharged in a few days. The chief article
of diet which attracted our attention in this respect was a meat
pie which the mother informed us she had made from the cleanings
obtained from bullocks' ears, this article of diet appearing
to be considered somewhat of a delicacy in the neighbourhood
of the Foreign Cattle Market.
Isolation Shelter. This shelter was used on 3 occasions
during the year for the usual period to accommodate persons
displaced for purposes of disinfection.