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40
Enteric Fever.
133 cases were notified during the year, the attack rate, viz.,
97 per 10,000 inhabitants, being the highest yet recorded in
Fulham.
There was an especial prevalence of the disease during the
last week of July and the first three weeks of August, 43 cases
being notified in that period. Careful enquiries were made into
the cases, especially as to the possibility of the infection having
been connected with the food supply, but no explanation was
forthcoming of the outbreak, which occurred before the usual
autumnal increase of the disease was established. The localised
prevalence of the disease was, of course, strongly against the
supposition that it could have been connected with the water
supply, but it may be mentioned that Drs. Crookes and Dewar
reported that between the 6th and 15th July, which was about
the period when the bulk of the cases were infected, the disease
being in many instances not notified until a week or two after
the commencement of the illness, "nearly the whole of the
liltered water of the different companies derived from the
Thames and Lea showed an excessive number of microbes per
cubic centimetre, far above the variations permissible as
showing the difference between good and bad filtration."
Secondary Cases.
In 14 instances the disease was apparently communicated
by personal infection by a previous case in the same house, 4
secondary cases occurring in each of two houses, 2 in one house,
and 1 in each of 4 houses.
Imported Cases.
In 15 instances the disease was contracted outside the
borough.
Fatality.
There were 20 deaths from the disease, giving a case mortality
of 148 per cent., the average for the past 8 years being
20.8.
Of the 92 cases treated in hospital, 9, or 10 per cent., and of
the 43 treated at home 11, or 25 per cent., proved fatal.