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46
Four days subsequent to his discharge a brother, aged 13, fell sick
and was removed to Whipps Cross Infirmary, and was within three
days notified as suffering from Typhoid.
There were nine inmates in the house and no other case arose.
In September, E.P., male, aged 46, was nursed at home. No history
was obtained as to how infection was contracted, but most probably it
was from without the district.
Within a month a son, aged 19, contracted the disease and was
removed to hospital, the remaining three inmates escaping.
One case notified on the 1st September was visited by his doctor on
the following day, and the information given to the Inspector was that
the patient was told that he had not had Typhoid, and that his illness
was due to eating "tainted fish," and the man went to work within
a week.
I visited the home and was satisfied that in notifying the error was
on the safe side and no disinfection was carried out, nor did any
subsequent trouble arise.
E. B., a female, aged 1410/12 years, was notified on the 30th of May—
four weeks subsequent to first onset of illness—and died the next day.
The notification was not withdrawn, but the death certificate given
after a post-mortem was Endocarditis.
The patient, M. C., female, aged 46 years, was notified on the 25th
of April, eight days after onset of illness, and was removed to Whipps
Cross Infirmary on the 27th, the premises were disinfected on the 28th.
Upon subsequent enquiry I was told the illness was probably Pneumonia.
H. L., aged 12 years, a male, was treated for Aæmia for two weeks
prior to removal to West Ham Infirmary, and was in that Institution for
two more weeks when notified as Typhoid.
Careful investigation was made into every case as to the probable
source of infection, but the alleged causes cannot be accepted as the
true ones.
Excluding the contacts and those diagnosed differently subsequent to
notification, eating cockles and mussels may account for one and four
respectively.
One of the four who ate uncooked mussels died. Two of the seven
home nursed cases also died, all the others recovered.
The invaded premises revealed defective drains in three instances,
and defective sanitary fittings in six; there were five of the houses dirty,
and in four were uncovered water drinking cisterns.
There can be no doubt there was no common origin in the great
majority of cases, and drinking water has played a negligible part.
Dirty premises in so far as they imply dirty habits of the inmates may
be credited with the responsibility they deserve.