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22
Enteric Fever. 38 cases were notified as against 40, 58 and
28 in the 3 preceding years. This is equal to an attack rate of 0.71
per 1,000 of the population. The cases occurred in 30 streets and
all in separate houses. One case was reported from Edmonton
Union Infirmary. The removals to hospital numbered 22, an
isolation percentage of 57.9. There were 8 deaths, giving a fatality
of 21 per cent., and a death rate of 0.14.
The source of infection in most cases was obscure and could not
be definitely traced. In one series of cases the disease was undoubtedly
caused by drinking the water of a polluted well, situated
in the yard of business premises. An employee in this establishment
failed with the disease, and my suspicions as to the source of his
infection were aroused on hearing of the removal to hospital of a
fellow workman, who lived in Enfield and developed enteric fever
about the same time. On analysis, the water of this well showed
serious pollution with sewage, and I took steps to have it immediatly
closed. Two further cases, one in a boy of 12 and the
other in a young woman of 18, were also traceable to the same source.
During the months of August and September a series of cases,
7 in all, occurred, in which there was a history of the patients
having eaten fried fish some time previous to their failure ; a few,
indeed, ascribed their illness to one particular meal they had eaten,
but owing to the length of time that had elapsed it was found impossible
to fix the actual source of the supply. The question of fried
fish, and the circumstances attending its cooking and eating, are, I
think, worthy of further investigation as a possible source of this
disease.
Watercress. Following my report in January, 1904, on effluent
grown watercress, the Council took steps to discontinue the cultivation
of this vegetable on their farm in the future. The agreement
between them and the cultivator has, therefore, been terminated,
and this source of danger so far as Edmonton is concerned, has
disappeared. It is to be hoped that similar action will be taken in
other localities where watercress is grown under conditions involving