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As usual, the majority of the patients were children of school age; the age group,
5-15, giving more than half (244) of the total. Of the remainder 115 were aged
between 1 and 5 years.
The source of infection was believed to be a previous case in the same family in
34 cases. In 9 cases a patient had been previously notified to be suffering in the
same house.
Though it seemed probable that many of the children notified acquired their
infection in school, it was only in 18 instances that a definite connection could be
made out.
Defects in sanitation to the number ot 60 were discovered. Of these, 59 were
want of cleanliness, &c., and 1 defects in drainage. The nuisances were remedied
after the service of notice in each case.
Enteric Fever.
There were 17 more cases of enteric fever in 1914 than in 1913, the numbers
being 36 and 19.
A very close investigation was made into all the cases, with the object of
discovering the source of infection and of preventing the occurrence of other cases if
possible. Except in one instance, the cases were all single and seemed to be
unconnected with any other. In the exceptional instance there seemed to be the
makings of a fair-sized outbreak. Largely, however, because precautions were taken,
and it was possible to have isolation carried out quickly with those who were infected
later, the number of persons attacked did not exceed 10. All these resided in the
same neighbourhood, some were members of the same family, or lived in the same house.
The following table, in which the cases are shown in the order in which they
were notified, indicates the relation of one patient to the other, and the probable
source of infection in each case.