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81
Report of the Medical Officer of Health.
Among the 22 cases caused by eating shellfish, there were six
cases which were definitely traced to the eating of cockles, and
of the six two were fatal, while other three had very serious
attacks.
With reference to the cases caused by the eating of cock'cs
the following report was made to the Public Health Committee:—
Cases of Typhoid Fever in Clapham due to Cockles.
On the 1st December I was asked by Dr. Atkinson to see
three cases of his residing at No. 10, Chip Street, Clapham, as he
was suspicious that they were suffering from Typhoid Fever. I
visited the house in the afternoon and found that the three
patients were suffering from that disease and that it was of a
markedly virulent type. On cross-questioning the patients I
ascertained that two of the patients, one a young map, T. D., aged
20, and the other a girl of 18, N. D., had taken ill on the 15th
November, and that the third case, a girl of 16, A. D., had taken
ill on the 22nd November. I also ascertained that T. D. and
N.D. had partaken of cockles on Saturday, the 1st November,
and that A. D. had partaken of cockles on the 8th November,
exactly a fortnight previous to the first symptoms The cockles
were purchased from a man who had bought them from a man at
Billingsgate on the mornings of the 1st and 8th November, and
the father of the patients bought half a gallon on each of these
days. One other member of the family partook of the cockles,
but she has fortunately so far not shown any symptoms of
infection.
On the 4th December I received another notification of a
case of Enteric Fever at Prescott Place, Clapham, the patient
J. O. having partaken of cockles purchased from the same dealer
on the 8th December.
I telegraphed the above information to the Medical Officer of
Health for the City of London so that he may take what action he
considers necessary at Billingsgate Market.
The man came from Leigh-on-Sea, near Southend, and I
have written the Medical Officer of Health for that District asking