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6
The fifty-eight cases occurred in fifty houses, in two houses three
patients and in four others two each. Serious defects of the sanitary
arrangements or drainage systems were discovered in eight of the
premises.
In past reports I have expressed an opinion that Diphtheria is
not attributable to defective drains and insanitary conditions to the
extent that it is often thought to be, but more to dampness and wet
subsoil, although undoubtedly the former are means of lowering the
system and making one more susceptible to the disease. This
appears to be borne out by the fact that over 51% of the total cases
of this disease have occurred South of Trinity Road, and in only 2 of
these houses were either defective drainage or insanitary arrangements
found to exist.
Several instances occurred where the evidence points strongly to
the infection having been received from what was looked upon as an
ordinary sore throat and for which it was not deemed necessary to
seek medical advice.
Typhoid Fever
Fifteen persons were notified as suffering from Typhoid or
Enteric Fever during the year, representing an attack rate of '32 per
thousand of the population. Seven of the patients were removed to
the Isolation Hospital, one of whom died, and the other fatal case
which occurred took place in the North Wimbledon Cottage
Hospital. The case mortality from this disease was 13%.
Last year there were 16 cases and 3 deaths, in 1901, 12 cases
and no deaths, in 1900, 20 cases and 5 deaths, and in 1899, 47 and 6
deaths.
Patients ages are shown in Table 3.
Of the cases notified none were confirmed by Widal's test
through the Sanitary Department, but whether they were tested privately
I have not been able to ascertain. At only one house was
there defective sanitary arrangements or drainage found. In three
instances the disease appears to have been contracted either at the
seaside when on holidays or before the patient took up residence in
Wimbledon. With the exception of some of the patients who were
removed to the Isolation Hospital, the disease was of a mild type
and ran its normal course. In only one house did a secondary case
occur.