View report page

84
Deaths from Enteric Fever for the last ten years:—
1892 18
1893 29
1894 21
1895 23
1896 26
1897 21
1898 20
1899 32
1900 39
190118
Of the 135 cases notified, as many as 120 were removed to hospital,
a percentage of 88.8.
The number of deaths occurring in hospital was 14, a mortality of
11.6 per cent.
The cases treated at home numbered 15, of which four died, a mortality
of 26.6 per cent.
This large increase in the percentage of deaths in cases treated at home
has been referred to by me in previous Annual Reports.
An interesting case of Enteric Fever arose in connection with the
sending home of the kit of a soldier who had died at Krugersdorp from
Enteric Fever. The following report was made to the Public Health
Committee in relation to this matter:—
"Typhoid Fever due to Infected Clothing sent home from
the Transvaal.—The case was that of John Dexter, aged 19 years, of 25,
Price's Street, Blackfriars Road, who was notified on August 22nd, as
suffering from Typhoid Fever. His father, who was serving with the
Fusiliers in the Transvaal, died at Krugersdorp in July, 1900, of Typhoid
Fever. His kit was sent home to his family, and after several misdirections
ultimately reached them in the middle of July, 1901. The patient,
John Dexter, unpacked them at once, and found them soiled, just as they
had been taken from his father's body after his decease. He began to
wear the boots at once, and also the socks after they had been washed.
Both father and son suffered from tender and offensively smelling feet.
The son, after a little more than a week, began to feel ill, and on August
1st was not able to attend to his work of porter to a hatter in Fore-street,
City. On August 6th he was admitted to St. Bartholomew's Hospital,
and after a fortnight he was certified as suffering from Typhoid Fever.
This case clearly shows that it is highly dangerous to send kits home in
the way this was done. Even on sentimental grounds I have heard friends
say that they would rather the things had been destroyed. I am strongly
of opinion that the War Office should give instructions that all articles of
clothing taken from the bodies of soldiers who have died from Enteric
or Typhoid Fever should be at ouce burnt, and on no account should they
allow any other article to be sent home without having it previously
satisfactorily disinfected."