Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Finchley]
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35
REPORT OF THE OUTBREAK OF ENTERIC FEVER
AT PROSPECT COTTAGES, SUMMERS ROW, AND
DUNGER PLACE.
To the Chairman and Members of the Public Health
Committee, Finchley Urban District Council.
Gentlemen,—
I have the honour to submit this further report to you
on the serious outbreak of Enteric Fever, which occurred in
Prospect Cottages, Summers Row, and Dunger Place, between
August 6th and November 18th, 1908. I have also taken
this opportunity to amplify the first report in a few details.
These premises are situated on the easterly border of
Finchley, and are approached from Summers Lane. Summers
Row and Dunger Place are built on a steep incline; at the
end of this street is an open ditch.
It is well to remark that this street has never been taken
over by the Council, and in consequence the roadway is not
cleared by the Council's servants.
This District consists of 25 separate dwellings, inhabited
by 30 families, and at the beginning of the outbreak the
number of inhabitants was 159, 89 being adults—that is,
above the age of 12 years-the remaining 70 are children.
Although several of these cottages are occupied by respectable
persons earning a sufficient wage, in a majority of
cases, however, the inhabitants are of quite the poorest class,
and apparently have a struggle for existence, accompanied
by all the evils of poverty.
The first case of Enteric Fever was notified on August
6th, that of S., and within a few hours I was informed that
two children, G. T. and R. T., shewed symptoms highly suspicious
of Enteric Fever, which suspicions were afterwards