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Report of the Medical Officer of Health.
57
overcrowding. 30 contacts were bacteriologically examined, but
the results obtained were not very definite, as in one case only
was the organism associated with the disease isolated.
Thorough disinfection of all infected houses and articles was
carried out by the staff, and I have no reason to doubt that this
and other measures to some extent limited the extension of this
most fatal disease.
In none of the cases in the Borough was there any history of
infection by military cases, although in six cases there had been
association with soldiers from various camps. Inquiry was made
into these, but in no case could any cause of infection be ascertained.
In London 701 cases of this disease were notified during the
year, compared with 73 in 1914, and 145 in 1913.
24 deaths were registered as having been caused by Meningitis,
four in Clapham, one in Putney, seven in Streatham, six in Tooting,
and six in Wandsworth, compared with 24 in 1914.
Nine of these were of infants under one year, one from one
and under two years, two from two and under five years, and 12
over five years.
As in previous years inquiries were made from the medical
attendant, and in all the cases the deaths were stated to have been
caused by simple Meningitis.
Bacteriological Examinations.
During the year 865 bacteriological examinations were made
at the Lister Institute, compared with 889 in 1914, and 726 in 1913.
The following Table shows the number of examinations in
each sub-district and for the whole Borough, also the disease for
which the examination was made and the result of such examination