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15
The house is a working-class dwelling, and at the time
of the first notification was occupied by Mr. S. and his wife,
their five children and step-children, and two elderly persons
(the mother and father, respectively, of Mr. and Mrs. S.).
(a) Bernard B., 13 years. Was first taken ill on the
11th January, 1926. He went to school on that date, and
did not complain of feeling ill until the evening. He was
not taken to his doctor until the 15th January, 1926. His
legs ached, he had a slight headache, and was shivering,
but had no diarrhoea. He was sent to bed on the 15th
January, and remained there until the 19th January, when
he was allowed up. He then gradually got better. This boy
was supposed to have had an attack of Influenza.
(b) Frederick S., 5 years. Was first taken ill about the
same time as the boy mentioned above. He did not go to
bed but was seen by his doctor. Later he became worse,
and was sent to the Kingston and District Hospital on
1.2.26, as a possible case of Typhoid Fever.
(c) Barbara B., 15 years. Was first taken ill on the
27th January, 1926. She was sick on that evening before
going to bed, and complained of a headache and aching
limbs. She was also shivering. On the 2nd February she
was diagnosed as suffering from " Typhoid Fever," and was
admitted to the Molesey Isolation Hospital.
(d) Victor B., 16 years. Was first taken ill on the 28th
January, 1926. Complained of a headache and pains in the
limbs and was shivering. He was also diagnosed as suffering
from " Typhoid Fever " on the 2nd February, 1926,
and admitted into the Molesey Isolation Hospital.
General Remarks. As the result of the diagnosis of
" C " and " D," Widal tests were made in the cases of
" A " and " B," both of which proved positive.
Investigations. Very complete enquiries were made,
and particular attention paid to food, water supply, shellfish,
etc. These enquiries produced negative results, but
from the sequence of the cases there appeared to be little
doubt that the source of infection was at the house, and a
carrier was suspected. Widal tests were therefore done on
all the other inmates, with the result that Mr. S. and Mrs. D.
(mother of Mr. S.) gave positive reactions. Mr. S. left the
Navy two years ago, and on enquiries being made from the
Admiralty, it was found that he had been inoculated with
anti-typhoid vaccine (triple) in July, 1915 (two inoculations),
and August-September, 1916 (two inoculations). Mrs. D.
stated that she had suffered from " Typhoid Fever " about