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68
the guinea-pig. The feeding experiments made with the pure
cultures were in all instances negative.
To sum up :—specific pathogenic organisms were not detected
in the cockles, but colon bacilli of the intestinal type were in
large numbers—this latter fact pointing to exposure of the
cockles to fcecal contamination, either before, or after, collection
from their " beds " or " layings." It is probable that the cockles
were also specifically contaminated with typhoid bacilli, and
caused directly the 13 cases which made up the outbreak.
The cockles collected were neither unsound nor in an offensive
condition.
It is only fair to state that there was also a history in 29 other
cases of other kinds of shell fish (oysters, lobsters, mussels, &c.),
having been eaten by the patients notified 1 to 3 weeks previous
to the disease developing ; but in this connection the number of
persons who eat shell fish, and do not get typhoid, must be
remembered.
The histories in connection with the two " open sewer " cases,
and the three " ice-cream " cases, were not conclusively proved.
55 samples of blood were examined at the Bacteriological
Laboratory during 1906 (see p. 162) for the Widal Reaction
of Typhoid, and in 15 cases (i.e., 27.3 per cent.) such reaction
was obtained.
In so far as Typhoid Fever is regarded as a sanitary index of
a district, the statistics for Lambeth Borough during 1906 are, in
that respect, of a satisfactory character though not so satisfactory
as the returns of 1905.
In London during 1906 there were registered 272 deaths
(uncorrected) out of a total of 1606 cases of Typhoid notified,
giving an uncorrected case-mortality of 16.9 per cent.