Research

Scope and Content Note

The series consists of pre-printed cards (approximately 3.5" x 6") that record, in manuscript, personal and medical data on victims of typhoid fever, paratyphoid fever, salmonella, and (after 1950) on salmonella carriers. The card files represent about 30,000 cases of these communicable diseases reported to the Health Department from throughout the state. There are also some cards on out-of-state carriers and cases for which the diagnosis was changed to something other than typhoid.

Personal data on individual case report cards consists of: patient's name; occupation; age; sex; color/race; national origin; household composition; type of residence; and visits made during the preceding thirty days. Each card also includes the patient's address and primary health district number.

Medical data is comprised of: diagnosis; date of onset; probable source of infection; sources of food and water; sanitary condition of house and well; precautions taken against spread of disease; results of Widal test; and whether the family has received the department's circulars or instructions on the disease and disinfection procedures.

After 1920, a form specifically designed for typhoid fever reporting asks about sanitary conditions in greater detail, covering nursing and cooking responsibilities in the household; visible symptoms; and vaccination history.

From 1926 through 1948, paratyphoid fever cases are filed separately from typhoid cases. In 1949 the paratyphoid designation changed to "salmonella including paratyphoid fever." In 1951 a category for salmonella carriers was added. In 1952 categories for out-of-state carriers and cases found not to be typhoid were added. Each of these categories also is filed separately within each calendar year.

The final box of the series contains attachments removed from some of the report cards. These are typically in the form of short handwritten notes, usually made by local physicians or district health officers. There is occasionally correspondence from the department requesting information, such as signatures, that had been omitted from the cards, as well as from physicians writing for copies of official reporting cards. The notes typically explain reasons for delaying submission of the report card (to confirm diagnosis, hold consultation); correct or expand information reported previously; report cases transferred from another area or removed to a hospital; or comment on patients' association with sale of milk or milk products. Also included are some reports of "imported infection" which were made to facilitate charging of cases to the municipality in which infection probably occurred, and to bring them to the attention of local health officers to discover and eliminate the possible source of infection.