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Though the disease has been kept in check, and the result of
dealing with special localised epidemics is usually quite satisfactory,
we are still far from being able to stamp out the disease. This
seems to be due to the large number of cases of mild diphtheria
which escape recognition, and the sti II larger number of uncontrolled
" contacts." School teachers could do much to lessen the number
of unrecognised cases by reporting every case of sore throat,
however mild, and however little resembling diphtheria. Were
this done in every case where school children suffered from sore
throat, there would be fewer missed cases and a smaller number of
fatalities, as efficient treatment could be resorted to at an earlier
stage of the disease. As stated in the report to the Education
Committee 259 cases of " sore throat" were reported from the
schools and many of them were found to be diphtheria.
ENTERIC FEVER: —Thirty-four cases were notified, and four
deaths from this disease were registered during the year. Twentythree
cases were removed to hospital. Of these, nine were subsequently
found to be suffering from some other complaint, viz :—
two pneumonia, one influenza, one cirrhosis of liver, one colitis, one
acute rheumatism, one septicaemia, one Malta fever, and one
constipation. There were thus 25 cases of supposed enteric fever
which required investigation. Of these, nine appeared to have
contracted the disease outside the borough. Of the remaining 16
cases the origin was indefinite in no less than eight cases, while
in six instances, shell-fish, and, in two instances, personal infection
from preceding cases was the suspected cause of illness.
As epidemics of enteric fever are commonly traceable to infected
water, and as Croydon has two distinct sources of water supply, it
seemed useful to compare the incidence of the disease in the parts
of the Borough supplied by Croydon, and by Lambeth (Metropolitan
Water Board).
As the numbers for one year are small, the particulars have
been taken out for the six years, 1900-1905, inclusive.
PARTICULARS OF ENTERIC FEVER CASES.
1900 to 1905, inclusive.
Cases Notified.—270 (including 11 cases of Continued Fever).
Removed to Borough Hospital.—145 cases (including 2 cases of
Continued Fever).
On removal to the Borough Hospital, thirty six (36) Were found
to be suffering from other diseases.