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37
The total number of houses invaded by diphtheria was
203. Drainage defects were found in 9 (i.e., 4*4 per cent.) of
the houses.
During the year 13 cases (i.e., 5.7 per cent.) notified as
diphtheria and removed to hospital were found not to be
suffering from the disease, and were discharged to their homes.
Enteric Fever.
During 1919 11 cases of enteric fever were notified in the
Borough, as against 6 in 1918 and 13 in 1917.
Three deaths were registered from the disease, giving a
case mortality of 27 per cent. and a death-rate per 1,000 of
the population of 0'02.
Erysipelas.
During 19.19 92 cases of erysipelas were notified, and three
deaths were registered from the disease, as compared with 76
cases and one death in 1918. The case-mortality was 3'26 per
cent., and the death-rate per 1,000 of the population was 0 02.
Cerebro Spinal Fever.
During 19.19 nine cases of cerebro-spinal fever (epidemic
cerebro-spinal meningitis) were notified in Battersea, as compared
with nine cases in 1918 and 12 in 1917. All cases were
removed to hospital.
Six of the nine cases ended fatally.
Encephalitis Lethargica.
This disease was made compulsorily notifiable on January
1st, 1919, by order of the Local Government Board.
The order was designed to secure the notification of cases
of an infectious disease which occurred in epidemic form in
the early spring of 1918. The order of the Board making the
disease notifiable as from the 1st January, .1919, and dated
23rd December, 1918, was at first only for a period of one year.
This period has since been indefinitely extended.
This disease is described as presenting "a group of unusual
cerebral symptoms resembling those of a rare disease called
botulism, which is associated with the consumption of infected
food." The illness displayed the characters of an acute
general disease associated frequently with progressive languor,
apathy and drowsiness passing into lethargy, with muscular