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There were two small outbreaks of enteric fever which illustrate very well the way it spreads
from person to person and also the mischief which a single case not properly diagnosed may cause.
Some of them occurred in the end of 1911 and stretched on into the beginning of 1912.
No.
of
case.
Date of
beginning of
illness.
Initials.
Age.
Sex.
Remarks.
1
M.C.
Adult
F
13th October, 1911
Diagnosed as rheumatic fever with
pneumonia and nursed at home
2
F.J.C.
M
15th November, 1911
Diagnosed as enteric fever.
Husband of No. 1
”
3
Edith C.
F
13th November, 1911
Diagnosed as pneumonia. Sister
of No. 2
”
4
Ernest C.
M
4th December, 1911
Diagnosed as pneumonia. Brother
of No. 2
”
5
L.C.
F
End of December, 1911
Diagnosed as pneumonia. Sister
of No. 2
”
6
G.J.C.
20 years
M
8th January, 1912
Diagnosed as enteric. Brother of
No. 2
Diagnosed as enteric. Brother of
No. 2
7
P.H.C.
10 years
M
5th January, 1912
All these cases apparently arose from No. 1 which was not isolated in any way as the disease
was supposed to be rheumatic fever ; however, no doubt it was a case of undiagnosed enteric. Cases
3, 4 and 5 were also probably enteric.
A small outbreak occurred in a family in Weston-place but they could all be traced to two
cases on August 4th, the origin of which could not be traced. These were followed by cases on 27th
August and 11th and 31st September. The outbreak stopped at these.
With these exceptions the cases of enteric fever which have occurred during the year were
what is known as sporadic or isolated cases. The same applies to the outbreaks above mentioned.
It is frequently impossible to trace the source of infection.
In 10 cases the source of infection was attributed to previous cases.
Puerperal Fever.
19 case of puerperal fever were notified. There were 4 deaths.
Membranous Croup.
3 patients were notified as suffering from membranous croup.
Ophthalmia Neonatorum.
There were 42 cases of this disease notified during the year.
Under this heading is included every kind of " sore eyes " occurring in the newly born. They
were all visited by the Health Visitors, who instructed them to immediately seek medical advice.
Cerebro-Spinal Meningitis.
Three cases of this disease were notified.
Most of the cases diagnosed under this heading in London are cases of meningitis occurring
in children and have been long known as " post-basic meningitis "or " Still's disease." They have
always been with us, but as they are caused by a micro-organism which resembles that causing the
disease known as cerebro-spinal fever, which occurs in outbreaks, it was thought advisible by the
London County Council to include them under the term " cerebro-spinal fever." Dr. T. Houston,
of Belfast, who has had an opportunity of investigating a large outbreak which occurred there in
1911 and 1912, is of opinion that the micro-organisms of the two diseases, although belonging to the
same group, are fundamentally different and give rise to different diseases, and with this view, on
present evidence, I am inclined to agree.
The cases notified in Bermondsey gave rise to no other cases, but disinfection and isolation
were carried out.