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40
before, I am at a loss to explain it. As in all other
respects the water is so satisfactory, I do not think
the water can be in any way unwholesome."
There was no history of eating shell-fish; in one or two
instances ice-cream had been partaken of, and also in one
or two cases there was a history of the purchase of fried
fish; but seeing that both of these are common occurrences
amongst a population of this type, they do not seem to have
any importance in relation to this outbreak. The milk
supply was varied, and hardly any two were supplied by the
same milkman.
Of these cases, 11 were removed to the Isolation
Hospital, and in seven instances specimens of blood were
sent for examination to test their reaction to Vidal's Test,
with the following result:—
Three gave a marked positive reaction of 1 in 100; the
other four had only a slight effect, 1 in 30, and
practically no effect 1 in 100 dilution.
From the character of the outbreak one would expect
to find some common cause producing this small epidemic,
as the cases were so collected and the outbreak so localised.
I regret to say we could not find such cause, nor explain
why it occurred.
ERYSIPELAS.
For 1906, 52 cases were notified, with 1 death.
„ 1905, 48 „ „ „ 3 deaths.
„ 1904, 56 „ „ „ 1 death.
„ 1903, 49 „ „ „ no death.
„ 1902, 67 „ „ „ 4 deaths.
„ 1901, 37 „ „ „ 1 death.