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57
Fever, although it was not recognised as such, early in
July. Bo far as can be ascertained, it is certain that
on one evening early in July the eels that were then
being sold were in such a condition that at any rate one
purchaser could not eat them, and told Jeffries that they
were bad, and Jeffries said that everybody was
grumbling about them. In addition several men had
stewed eels, which was followed by acute diarrhoea and
vomiting. On enquiry being made by the Wimbledon
Authorities, it was found that at Jeffries (the eel vendor's
house), all the children had been suffering from
diarrhoea, and that a child of lodgers occupying the
first floor of Jeffries house was taken away while so suffering
by its relatives, and several of them contracted
Typhoid Fever from this case. Unfortunately, in three
instances the cases ended fatally. These three cases
died in the Isolation Hospital, Beddington Corner, and
the type of disease was extremely severe. The Typhoid
bacillus undoubtedly gained access to the stewed eels,
and the gelatinous condition of this stew when cold
would prove an almost ideal medium for the propagation
of these bacilli. Possibly a larger number of cases
of either true or abortive Typhoid Fever have resulted
from eating these eels without having come to my
knowledge.
C. M. FEGEN.
5th October, 1905.