Report on an outbreak of scarlet fever in Jesmond, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. / [Henry E. Armstrong].

  • Newcastle-upon-Tyne (England). City and county.
Date:
1888
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report on an outbreak of scarlet fever in Jesmond, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. / [Henry E. Armstrong]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service. The original may be consulted at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service.

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    As to the real nature of the outhrp.ak in Newcastle :—the 17 cases were notified by eight different medical men distinctly as Scarlet Fever (or Scarlatina), a diagnosis I have no right to question. One of the cases so reported came under my own observation in the person of a domestic servant who was removed to the Fever Hospital. This case certainly presented the ordinary signs of a mild attack of Scai'let Fever (vomiting, followed by Fever, sore throat, red eruption, and desquamation of skin). We cannot, however, positively affirm that the many and various symptons now classed under the term Scarlet Fever are not indeed those of different diseases, which we have not yet learnt to distinquish from each other. At present, whilst we are completely in ignorance as to the origin of Scarlet Fever, it is not surprising that the cause of such outbreaks as that just reported is sought in the animals yielding the milk, distribution of which coincides with the distribution of the disease. It was with the view of clearing up all question as to the presence of scabbed teats in the South Gosforth herd, and of satisfying myself as to the loss of hair in some of the cattle, that the opinion of Mr. Clement Stephenson was asked. In connection with this part of the subject, the milk of recently calved cows may be, and sometimes is, mixed wich other milk and sold at too early a stage. Complaints are occasionally made to us as to the smell and taste of such milk. Again, the effect produced on the milk by the slight and periodical ailments of cows, even when accompanied by increased temperature of the body, is but lightly regarded by dairymen, and such milk is not always withdrawn from distribution. There is probably room for investigation here. A Former E^jyerienre.—The outbreak here described recalls, in certain particulars, a similar occurrence in the northern half of the Westgate Registration Sub-district of Newcastle in 1879. On that occasion the outburst was short, clearly defined, and similar in extent, but much more virulent than the recent one.* Then, also, the only common feature was the milk supply, and no Scarlet Fever in connection with the dairies supplying the milk was detected. With one exception, all of the house- holds then invaded in a large area derived their milk directly or indirectly from one or other of two dairies, who interchanged milk for the mutual convenience of trade. In the investigation at that time several complaints * 10 deaths in a total of 2.S cases (sec Annual Report of the Medical OfEcer of Health for 1879). Several of the fatal cases ran a remarkably rapid coiu-se,