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44
became seriously ill but recovered. One other child who did not
seem well was also admitted for observation but was found not to be
suffering from Typhoid.
In the meantime the house was completely disinfected and closed
for about a month, when it became clear that the only three remaining
persons were not incubating the disease and were allowed to return.
As soon as the first cases were removed enquiries were made
regarding a baby who had been in hospital for a month with gastro
enteritis, and further pathological investigations showed that it was
in fact suffering from Typhoid Fever.
The source and early progress of the infection within the families
which were inter-related, were never firmly established. The Phage
type of the infecting organism was the same as that involved in the
Croydon epidemic, but intensive enquiries failed to elicit any connection
between this outbreak and those known to have infected in the
Croydon and other outbreaks of the same Phage Type.
In the early autumn a child was notified also as suffering from
Typhoid. She had clearly been infected during a holiday in Italy.
She was treated in hospital and made a full recovery.
There were thus in all 11 cases of Typhoid Fever during the year.
Paratyphoid.
There was one case of Paratyphoid B during the year. This was
in a child aged 2½ who was treated in hospital and made a full recovery.
No source of the infection was traced.
Contacts of Typhoid and Paratyphoid.
In addition to the known contacts of the cases recorded above,
members of a party of schoolchildren, one of whom developed
Paratyphoid on return from a holiday, were kept under strict
supervision until the risk of the disease was over.
Gastro Enteritis.
Fifteen cases under 2 years were notified during the year—all
were treated in hospital, and there was one death.
In all these cases full investigations were carried out and later
in the year these were extended to include stool examinations wherever
possible of the contacts.