View report page

8 enteric fever.
was in hospital or the scarlet fever. The intervals in the 3 cases first mentioned were 12 days, 6 and
7 months.
Of the 3 cases of scarlet fever following diphtheria, 1 was contracted by the patient after admission
to hospital for diphtheria, and of the other 2 the attack of scarlet fever was in one instance in a
second family—three months after the case of diphtheria—and in the other—in the same family—six
weeks after the case of diphtheria.
ENTERIC FEVER.
(Including Continued Fever.*)
Last year the notified cases numbered 13, 5 more than the total for 1922, but equal to that for 1921.
During 1913-17 the annual average number of notified cases was 18, that for the years 1918-22, 13.
The only Ward from which no cases were reported during the year was Lancaster Gate, East, the quinquennial
averages for that Ward being, 1913-17, 1, and 1918-22, 3. From Maida Vale Ward 1 case was
reported in 1923, the averages being 1913-17, 3, and 1918-22, 2. From Westbourne Ward there were
4 notifications last year as compared with annual averages of 3 and 2 and from Church Ward 2 cases,
averages 5 and 1.
The 13 cases comprised 3 in males and 10 in females. In recent Reports attention has been called
to the (approximate) disappearance of the disease among male residents of the Borough. The 3
notifications of the past year show a marked contrast with the 11 recorded during 1913-17. During
1918-22 the notifications averaged 4 each year. On the other hand the 10 notifications among females
were in excess of both the average for 1913-17 (8) and that for 1918-22 (9). At ages under 25 the notifications
of cases in males last year numbered 2, the annual average for 1913-17 having been between
4 and 5, and that for 1918-22, 3. At ages 25-45, 1 case was notified in 1923, compared with annual
averages of 5 during 1913-17, and none during 1918-22. Among females in the same age-groups the
comparison is markedly different. At ages under 25, 1923, 3 cases; averages, 1913-17, 4; 1918-22,
between 3 and 4; at ages 25-45, 1923, 5; averages, 2 and 4.
Among the 13 notified cases there were 3 subsequently marked "errors," equal to 23 per cent. of the
notifications, the average percentage for the years 1918-22 being 19. Last year's errors came from
two Wards, viz., Westbourne, 2 (with 4 notifications), and Church, 1 (with 2 notifications).
Bacteriological tests were reported relating to 9 of the 13 notified cases, positive reactions with
respect to the three groups (enteric, paratyphoid A and B) being obtained in 2 instances, with respect
to paratyphoid B only in 3, and not stated, 4.
The inquiries following notification were particularly barren last year, no information being elicited
beyond evidence that in 4 instances the disease had been contracted outside the Borough.
Among the notified cases 3 ended fatally, including 1 error. Of the 2 deaths due to enteric fever
1 belonged to another district. Last year was the first occasion of a death occurring among cases notified
locally since 1916. The corrected fatality was at the rate of 20 per cent., the average for 1918-22
being zero.
The death referred to above (a female aged 29) was the only one allocated to the Borough, the
annual average for 1913-17 being 4 (both sexes), and that for 1918-22, 1. No male has died from this
disease since 1917.
PUERPERAL FEVER.
During the past year 5 cases were notified as compared with 8 in 1922, 16 in 1921 and 15 in each
of the years 1920 and 1919. During 1913-17, the annual average was 8 and that during 1918-22,
11. Last year's total may, therefore, be regarded as satisfactory, but it is doubtful whether much
significance attaches to the reduction. A reference to Table 3 will show that there is a suggestion
that the number of cases of puerperal fever notified varies from year to year with the numbers of
cases of scarlet fever and/or erysipelas. The suggestion offers attraction for mathematical analysis
to measure the connection (if any) between the prevalences of the diseases mentioned.
Last year's cases were reported from two Wards, viz., Harrow Road (4 cases, one fatal) and
Maida Vale (1 case, fatal). As regards the ages of the patients—one was under 25 years of age,
the averages for the age-group 15-25 being 1913-17, 2; 1918-22, 3; the remaining 4 were aged between
25 and 35, for which group the similar averages were 5 and 6.
In 1922, 5 of the 8 notified cases were marked errors. Last year no similar correction had to
be made. The percentage of errors in 1922 was 62.5, in 1921 16.2, and the mean percentages for
1914-18 and 1919-20, 8.8 and 10.0. The fact that correction for errors was not required last year
somewhat discounts the apparently satisfactory reduction in the number of reported cases.
* The last case of Continued Fever was reported in 1915.