Dr. G.S. Buchanan's report to the Local Government Board upon epidemic enteric fever in the Urban District of Hucknall Torkard and upon sanitary administration by the District Council / [G.S. Buchanan].

  • Buchanan, George Seaton, Sir, 1869-1936.
Date:
1897
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Dr. G.S. Buchanan's report to the Local Government Board upon epidemic enteric fever in the Urban District of Hucknall Torkard and upon sanitary administration by the District Council / [G.S. Buchanan]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    9/16 (page 9)
    The S. children attacked in October must needs have been particularly exposed to infection when they attended their mother under conditions of dirt and overcrowding. And all the four persons attacked subsequently to J. P. may be thought of as having been exposed to infection from matters, derived from fever patients, present in privies, midden, and common yard. IV. —Byron Street.—Mrs. W., 27, attacked September 26tli. There had been no cases of fever in the other houses of the common yard which Mrs. W.’s house adjoins. It appeared, however, that Mrs. W., up to the time of her illness, had taken in the washing of the B. family in Truman Street (see II.), including that of the B. fever patients. Dirty linen was brought round to her house from the B.’s; the sheets usually had been soaked in some disinfecting solution, but handkerchiefs and towels arrived dry. The B.s were, indeed, said to have been particularly neglectful in their use of “ disinfectants.” Mrs. W. herself took back clean linen to the B.’s house, but says she never went in nor stayed there. I did not learn of any facts which assocated Mrs. W. with fever patients other than the B.s. V. -By ron Street.—Mrs. H., 43, attacked October 1st. J. H., 7, attacked October 8tli. There had been a previous case of fever in another house of the common yard which the H.’s house adjoins, M. B., 18, attacked August 1st, and convalescent only by the middle of September. No communication, such as visiting or nursing, was known to have taken place between M. B. and Mrs. H. or J. H. Excreta and urine in M. B.’s case had been disposed of in an open privy midden in the common yard. Midden and privies had been demolished on September 18th, and pail priyies substituted. The demolition seems to have entailed scattering of the contents of the midden and privies over the surface of the unpaved yard close to the H.’s house. VI. —Sylvester Street.—J. S., 25, attacked October 3rd. J. S. lived in one of four houses which open to a common yard. In one of these, S. G., 43, had been attacked with fever on July 5th, and his wife, Mrs. G., 42, on August 12th. As in the last case, no direct association of the S. and G. families was heard of. Slops from G.’s house had been thrown into a gutter, or on to the surface of the yard, which is unpaved. Excreta from enteric fever cases at G.’s had been disposed of in pail closets of the yard, or into a dry ashpit. The pails were overfull when I saw them, and could hardly have been removed without spilling their contents on the yard or in the narrow passage which leads to it from the street. The dry ashpit also needed emptying. VII. —James Street.—Mrs. C., 31, attacked September 26th. Cases of fever had previously occurred in two adjoining houses as follows :— House I.—Mrs. S., attacked July 8th. House II.—A. C., aged 2, suffered from illness from the end of August, lasting five or six weeks. Illness not stated to have been enteric fever, but the child appears to have been feverish, had much constipation,,and had wasted. No communication, in the way of visiting or nursing, was reported to have taken place between those attacked in Houses I. and II. respectively. There are six houses opening to a common yard. In Houses III. to VI. there had been no fever. The common yard is unpaved and badly drained. Houses I. and II. have each a privy annexed to a common midden of the usual type. Excreta from the fever cases have been disposed of in the midden privies. Urine and liquid refuse have been thrown into the defective gutters or into the midden. The midden is said not to have been emptied for three months. VIII. —George Street.—Mabel P., 8, attacked October 1st. In this house, Mabel P.’s brother, Willie P., 7, had been attacked on August 18th. No other cases of fever were reported in other houses opening to the same common yard. Although Willie P. had been “ isolated ” in one room in the house, Mabel appears to have at times played in his bedroom during his illness. In this instance all excreta and urine from the fever cases were said to have been each day carefully buried in a tiny grass plot in front of the house. IX. —Hankin Street.—W. P., 45, a miner, attacked October 1st. W. P. works at a colliery where other cases have recently occurred, but I obtained no facts which connected his illness with these or with any other previous cases of fever. W. P. is the first person living in Hankin Street who has been attacked. [I learn that by November 15th, three other persons in this street have been attacked, one of whom apparently lives next door to W. P.] X. —Beardall Street.—Martha B., 27, attacked October 4th (died October 22nd). Martha B.’s case appeared to be connected with a series of previous fever cases as follows :— House in Quarry Street—E. H., aged 3, attacked June 13th. J. H., „ 25, „ July 21st. Mrs. H., „ 25, „ July 28th. House in Beardall Street—Mrs. B., 48, Mrs. H.’s mother, attacked about August 10th. Illness not stated to have been enteric fever, but she seems to have had diarrhoea, headache, loss of flesh, and fever which kept her in bed for three weeks. Joseph B., aged 22, attacked September 7th, died Septembe 26th. The most obvious connexion which these cases had one with another was in nursing and attendance. Both Mrs. H. and J. H. tended their sick child, E. H.; and Mrs. B. for some weeks prior to her illness had been nursing the sick inmates of H.’s household, spending the greater B E 95002.