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23
POLIOMYELITIS.
P.M. Examination.—Acute inflammation of the cerebral and spinal meninges. Upper
convolutions of the brain slightly flattened: turbid fluid under meninges: cerebro-spinal fluid
increased in quantity and opaque with flakes of lymph : the other organs of the body indicated
an acute toxic inflammation (cloudy swelling and incipient fatty degeneration).
Bacteriology.—Smears taken before and after death showed a Gram-negative intracellular
diplococcus indistinguishable from the diplococcus meningitidis of VVischelbaum. Cultures after
death gave the same organism.
The patient's family comprised 8 persons, 3 under 10 years of age, living in three rooms,
which were clean and free from vermin. There was no other illness in the family (the only one in
the house), and no history of the child being away from home.
(3) W. m., æt. 3, residing in EInathan Mews : father unknown (a nurse child).
Taken ill March 26th: delirium, 28th: coma, 30th: muscular rigidity, 31st: died April 2nd.
No post-mortem examination allowed. The family comprised four persons, one under 10 years of
age (the deceased). An attack of varicella in deceased the only illness known. The home comprised
three rooms, clean and free from vermin.
(4) E. R., f., five months, residing in Bravington Place; father a carman.
Attack began August 10th, with sickness, slight coma, and some muscular rigidity. The
patient was taken to St. Mary's Hospital on August 12th, and died at home the same day. When
seen at the Hospital (patient could not be admitted for want of accommodation) the conditions
were coma, much wasting, marked contraction of the head, and of the abdomen. Kernig's sign
and tdche ciribrale present. "A typical case of posterior basic meningitis." There was no P.M.
examination and no bacteriological test.
The family consisted of 7 persons, 3 under 10 years of age. The home contained three
rooms, was clean and free from vermin. There was no history of any previous illnesses in the
family or any absence from home.
POLIOMYELITIS.
The diseases known as "acute poliomyelitis" and "acute polio-encephalitis" became
notifiable by an Order of the County Council made in July of last year.* The Order came into
operation on September 1st. Only one case was notified during the remaining four months of
the year. The notes of the case are as follow:—
F. F., m. set. 10, residing in Barnsdale Road, a scholar of Essendine Road (Physically
Defective) School.
The patient had been delicate from birth. The date of onset could not be stated definitely,
but he had paralysis at the age of five years and had been a patient at St. Mary's and the Welbeck
Street Hospitals during the past two years. He was reported to have lost the use of his limbs in
1910. At the date of the inquiries (October 4th) there was a history of sickness during the last
four days, with headache, but no delirium or coma. He had wasting of "all " his muscles, pain
in the side only when coughing. The glands of the neck were enlarged. There was no rash,
but sweating was reported to occur.
The patient's family comprised 5 persons, all aged 10 years and upwards. Two other
families lived in the house, all the members thereof being adults. The patient's home (three
rooms) was clean and free from vermin. There had been no other illness in the family or house,
and the patient had not been away from home. The patient was alive when last heard of.
ANIMAL DISEASES.
Anthrax, hydrophobia, and glanders—all diseases contracted from infected animals—are
scheduled for notification. No cases were reported among human beings during the year, but
five outbreaks of glanders (each of one case) were reported among the horses in the Borough.
In 1911 there were 10 outbreaks, and in 1910, 11.
*By an Order made on March 13th of this year the above were permanently added to the list of diseases to
be notified.