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22
Report of the Medical Officer of Health.
Examinations were made of the blood and excreta of all
these persons and the organism of Typhoid Fever was found in
the excreta of the purveyor's wife, though her blood examination
was negative.
She was removed to hospital immediately and remained there
for three months and during that time she was in apparent good
health. Bacteriological examinations made in hospital confirmed
those made here.
The source of infection of this woman was not ascertained,
but it is possible that she may have been infected by a lodger
in the premises above the milkshop who, six weeks previously,
was ill for a fortnight—her illness being diagnosed subsequently
as Typhoid Fever, but it is difficult to realise how this could have
occurred without the woman herself becoming ill.
As it was possible that infected milk bottles had played a
part in carrying infection, I made immediate arrangements for
all the bottles and utensils to be disinfected daily at the Council's
Disinfecting Station. Arrangements were made for the milkman's
round to be carried out by the dairyman who supplied
him with milk, and none of this milk was allowed to enter the
infected premises before delivery to customers.
The milk roundsman mentioned above who was sent home
sick on October 15th was diagnosed subsequently as a case of
Typhoid Fever and was admitted to Mitcham Isolation Hospital.
In all probability he was infected by the milk.
Enquiries were made in the districts from which the milk
was obtained and I was informed that no cases of suspicious
illness had occurred at any of the farms for a long time. Samples
of this milk taken on delivery into the Borough were examined
bacteriologically with negative results.
In order to get early knowledge and prompt removal of cases
to hospital, I communicated on the 22nd October with the medical
men practising in Streatham, and requested them to inform me
immediately of any suspicious cases coming to their knowledge.
Several cases of the disease were discovered in this way and I
was able to get into touch with other families where indefinite