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Full enquiry was made into the possibilities of infection by milk,
mussels, watercress, etc., but with no connecting link. Serum tests
and examination of faeces gave no assistance, but on the removal to
hospital, for purely observation purposes, of J.T.H. and his daughter,
P.H., the typhoid bacillus was found in the urine of both. This completed
the chain. The father contracted the disease in 1912 in
Tucamen. His daughter contracted the disease from the father in
1920. His wife contracted the disease in August, 1923, either from
the father or daughter. Unfortunately I was away on holiday at the
time and the connection was not traced. The child E.H. contracted
the disease from father or daughter. I found that the daughter was
baking the bread for the family. The aunt, T.H. was next taken ill,
probably infected by the child E.H., with whom she slept. All the
members of the family were inoculated against the disease and no other
cases occurred. These had been the first cases in the Borough for
many months ; the discovery of the B. Typhosus in the urine of father
and daughter left no doubt as to the source of the trouble.
Whooping Cough.
The number of deaths from this disease was 17; the disease is not
notifiable in this Borough, but the Health Visitors visit as many
known cases as their duties permit.
Epidemic Cerebro-Spinal Meningitis.
Three cases were notified of which two proved not to be so suffering.
R.C., male, age 3 years, had attended at Guy's Hospital for nasal
discharge. In April he became ill with abdominal pain and vomiting
and became drowsy and convulsed; he developed retraction of the
head, coma, delirium, exaggeration of reflexes. Two families occupied
the house and the patient's family had two rooms, four persons
occupying the sick room. In addition to patient's father, mother and
brother of 5 years, the house contained:– Six males, four of whom
were over 16 years, and one adult female. The child died in hospital
two days after admission.
The cases which occurred in the Army during the war were
numerous, and the exciting causes were said to be fatigue, mental
strain and overcrowding. In civil life the disease occurs sporadically,
mostly in children. The overcrowding in the above case certainly did
not help matters.