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at all it was generally consumed by several other persons, and in view
of the number of single attacks it is difficult to explain the immunity
of all the other members of the family if fried fish were responsible for
the single attack.
So soon as the possible connection of cockle eating with typhoid
infection became apparent, notices were posted in the district warning
the public in the following terms:—
NOTICE!
Owing to a sudden outbreak of Typhoid (Enteric) Fever in
the Borough, traced in a large number of cases to the consumption
of
COCKLES
and other shell-fish, the Public is again reminded of the fact that
these articles of diet are frequently exposed to grave pollution,
and is warned of the serious risk which thereby is run by those
who eat them.
Public Health Department, C. S.
Town Hall, June, 1906.
West Ham.
The sale of these shellfish was temporarily discontinued, and the
subsequent course of the epidemic did not materially differ from that
of similar outbreaks, the secondary cases finally dying out at the end
of the year. These secondary cases were numerous, but they were
chiefly localized in and around the districts implicated in the
initial outbreak, and did not spread to the northern division of the
Borough.
Watercress.—In my Annual Report for 1905 the possible
association of Enteric Fever with the eating of watercress was dealt
with, and a special memorandum relating to the subject in connection
with certain watercress beds at Temple Mills was included. I refer to
the subject here in order to record the fact that these suspected beds
have been disused for some months, and are now being filled up.