[Report 1900] / Medical Officer of Health, West Lancashire R.D.C.

West Lancashire (England). Rural District Council.

Date:: 1900

Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1900] / Medical Officer of Health, West Lancashire R.D.C. Source: Wellcome Collection.

15/82 (page 13)

DIPHTHERIA. Houses Infected, 13; Oases, 17; Deaths, 4. Though there were 14 fewer cases of this disease the number of deaths was the same as in the preceding year. As is very often the fact, the incidence of the disease followed the weather closely, the large majority of the cases being notified when the ground had got into a wet, damp, condition. Lydiate suffered most severely, and it is possible that had there been accommoda¬ tion in the Isolation Hospital for this disease, not only would there have been fewer cases, but probably the death would not have occurred, as carelessness in nursing was almost certainly the chief factor in the fatal termination of the case. In Tarleton both cases were in one house where the surrounding premises were insanitary ; the first case, however, contracted the disease while visiting friends outside the district, but being mild it was not recognised until after return home, and the second which was fatal, commenced to be ill, and medical aid was called in. The fatal case in Bickerstaffe apparently contracted the disease while attending school in another township, as I was informed that several children were absent suffering from diphtheria. There was no apparent cause for the fatal case in Formby. ENTERIC FEVER. Houses Infected, 21; Cases, 28 ; Deaths, 2. Aughton. A. S., female, aged 40. Sanitary premises and Southport water. Patient had eaten oysters about 12 days previous to the commencement of the illness. Bickerstaffe, E. P., female, aged 34. Lived on insanitary premises. Water from public service. Formby. F. B., female, aged 28. Had oysters and mussels about 10 days before the illness commenced. Premises sanitary, and supplied with Southport water.