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lodging house in Upper East Smithfield on February 20th, 21st and 22nd, but
although I enquired in other common lodging houses and seamen's lodging houses,
I was not able to ascertain where he slept on February 23rd and 24th. On
February 25th, 26th, 27th and 28th he slept at Cornwall Street. On what date
he fell ill, it is impossible to find out, but he was ill probably for two or three days
at this house, and he was certainly nursed by his mother and sister previous to his
removal to St. George's Infirmary. He did not go to his wife's premises, as this
tenement had been locked up by her son, and the key returned to the owner.
J. C. was a married man, but had not lived with his wife for a considerable
time. He was a heavy drinker. His wife was a widow when he married her, and
went under the name of her former husband. She was therefore known as Mrs. L.
and lived at Crellin Street, St. George's. She was also a rag sorter, but was only
engaged in sorting clean rags or tailors' cuttings. She was taken ill on February 1st
and was seen by the District Medical Officer, and was, according to him, suffering
from "Pains about the body" with a high temperature. The doctor diagnosed
rheumatism and sent her into the Infirmary under the name of Mrs. L. When she
entered the Infirmary, according to the Medical Officer's notes, she had been ill
one week, and had a temperature of 101°, and a pulse of 126. On examination,
she was found to have lobar pneumonia of both bases. She was almost pulseless,
that is, the pulse was so weak that it could hardly be counted. She was a heavy
drinker, and "the pneumonia developed into a low type met with in alcoholics."
Expectoration was also exceedingly foul smelling. She gradually improved, and
left on March 5th to bury her husband, J. C.
The fact that E. C. and her daughter F. C., who nursed J. C. previous to his
admission to the Infirmary on March 1st, were taken ill about the same time is
very suggestive. The two women were taken ill about March 18th. The incubation
period of typhus fever is from 8 to 12 days, rarely 14 days. The probability is,
therefore, that J. C. had typhus fever as well. Where did J. C. contract it ? Did
his wife have typhus fever and did she give it to him when he visited her on
February 20th, or did he contract it at St. Nazaire? It is true that their symptoms
were very much alike; but, on the other hand, it is hardly credible that it should
be so infectious at that stage. As far as I can ascertain, E. C. had no rash or flea
bites. J. C., on the other hand, had a profuse petechial eruption, which the nurse,
who saw him on admission, attributed to flea bites.
The premises were thoroughly disinfected and the contacts were kept under
daily supervision.
On Thursday, April 8th, the Medical Superintendent of St. George's Infirmary
asked me to see a patient named M. S., aged 56, who he thought had Typhus Fever,
and who had been in the Infirmary since April 6th. I agreed with him that the
case was Typhus, and the patient was removed to the Fever Hospital on the same
day.