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13
ENTERIC FEVER (including Paratyphoid).
Seven cases were notified during the year. One of these
was an isolated case in a nine-year-old boy, who was notified
on June 19th, and admitted to the Wimbledon Isolation
Hospital on the same day.
In spite of careful investigation no source of infection
could be traced.
The remaining six cases notified during the year form
the subject of a Special Report, as set out below, which was
completed on March 1st, and forwarded to the Ministry of
Health.
Report on Six Cases of Enteric Fever Notified Between
20.1.26 and 4.2.26.
No. 1. A. S., male, 28 years. Notified 20.1.26. Paratyphoid
" A." Date of onset—about 25.12.25.
Enquiries. Enquiries were made on the day of notification,
and resulted in the information that this man had
been employed as a wireless operator on board the S.S.
" Scalaria," and that he had landed at Thames Haven (after
having been away from England for a considerable period),
on the 13th January, 1926. It was ascertained that the last
port of call before arrival in England was Suez, where the
patient had been ashore, but the ship put in to Southampton
to land the Second Steward (J. W.) who was ill.
Upon receipt of this information the owners of the ship
were communicated with by telephone. They were informed
of the case, and were asked if they were aware of any other
illnesses amongst the officers or crew, etc. They were also
asked to supply the names and addresses of the ship's
engineers, and any other officers who had been in intimate
contact with the patient. This request was made, as it was
understood from the patient that he had shared quarters with
the ship's engineers, and that upon arrival at Thames
Haven several of them signed off, and proceeded to their
homes. A letter was sent to the owners the same day
(20.1.26) in confirmation of the above. .
In response to this enquiry I received a letter on the
following day (21.1.26), giving the required information,
and in addition the owners stated that the Second Steward
(J. W.) had been admitted to a hospital at Southampton
suffering from " Typhoid Fever " and that he had died on
the 14th January, 1926.