View report page

enteric fever. 23
In the 8 families with three cases, all three were reported together in one instance; in
two, the second and third cases were reported together shortly after the first; and in one, all
three were reported separately at intervals. In two families both the second and third cases
were "return," and in another the third only, the second being due to direct infection from the
first.
The cases removed to institutions for isolation numbered 251 last year (Table 15), and
formed 92.2 per of the total notified, as compared with 96.4 per in 1911 and an
average of 94.9 during the five years 1907-11. (See Table 16.) In Lancaster Gate, West, Ward
only were all the notified cases removed. There were four deaths among the patients sent to
hospital and none among those kept at home, the total fatality (Table 16) being equal to 1.5
per 100 "definite " cases, as compared with an average of 2.2 per for the preceding five
years.
The mortality was 0 02 per 1,000 persons last year, the same as in 1911, and less than one.
third of the average (0.07) for the five years 1907-11. (Table 17.) From the figures given in
Table 13 it appears that the highest mortality (0 09) was recorded in St. Marylebone, and the
lowest (0 01) in Hampstead and Willesden. Except in St. Marylebone, where last year.s rate
was equal to the mean, all rates recorded in 1912 were notably below the respective means.
ENTERIC FEVER.
(Including Continued Fever.)
The cases reported during the year numbered 15 only, as compared with 38 in 1911, and
an annual average of 35 during the five years 1907-11. Last year.s total (15) was approximately
one.half the smallest total previously recorded since 1901, viz., 29 in 1909, but in that
year there were 4 cases erroneously diagnosed as enteric fever, while last year there were none—
the first occasion since 1902 (when "errors" were first systematically recorded).
The morbidity rate last year was equal to 010 per 1,000 persons, 018 less than the rate
for 1911 (0.28), and 0.15 less than the mean rate (0.25) for 1907-11 (Table 6). According to
the data published by the Registrar.General (Table 7), lower rates were recorded last year in
Kensington (0.09) and Willesden (0.08). All the rates recorded last year were notably below
the mean rates.
The numbers of cases reported in each of the Wards during the past year are given below.
The numbers are so small that comment appears to be superfluous, save to remark that they
indicate a progressive improvement in the healthiness of the Borough so far as this disease is
concerned.
Enteric Ff.ver.
Queen.s Harrow Maida Lancaster Gate, Hyde
Park. Road. Vale. Westbourne. Church. West. East. Park.
Cases, 1912 1 2 2 3 3 2 1 1
„ 1911 2 9 9 2 7 3 3 3
„ 1907-11 3 6 6 3 922 4
Morbidity—per 1,000 persons—
1912 0.06 0.07 0.09 0.13 0.12 0.22 0.12 0.08
1907-11 0.18 0.23 0.28 012 0.34 0.24 0.20 0.33
As already stated, no case of erroneous diagnosis was reported to the Department, the
average percentage of " errors " having been 212 per of reported cases during the five years
1907-11. From information collected by the Department, it appeared that 4 out of the 15 cases
were due to infection contracted outside the Borough, and that in 3 cases there were histories of
the consumption of oysters (in one case in France) within the normal incubation period of the
disease. One patient, an infant aged one year, was apparently infected by his mother, who was