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every article of clothing and bedding that had been soiled by any
discharges. (O. of C. II. 12.) The Committee are confident that in
proportion as these measures were carried out early and efficiently,
they succeeded in preventing the extension of Cholera.
Into the Hospital, 75 persons were admitted suffering from
Cholera, Choleraic Diarrhoea, or some severe form of Diarrhoea.
57 cases of unequivocal Cholera were admitted, out of the total 83 cases
that occurred in the district, and of these 37 proved fatal, being at the rate
of 65 per cent. That the mortality was not higher, among cases that
were all severe, the Committee regard as due partly to the circumstance
of the Hospital being so near the infected localities; for they observe
that of six persona taken beyond the District to various General Hospitals
more or less distant, every one died. And partly they regard the
recovery of their patients as having been assisted in a most material
degree by the unwearied devotion of the Clewer Sisters. Of the manner
in which these ladies have discharged the complicated and laborious
duties which they undertook the Committee would wish to speak in the
warmest terms of gratitude;—without the wisdom and skill and self
sacrifice, of which every hour witnessed some fresh proof, the Committee
could not satisfactorily have carried out the part of their functions which
they believe to have been, of all others, the most efficacious in arresting
the spread of the epidemic.*
Into the rooms which were set apart as a refuge and place of
observation for persons belonging to infected families, 67 persons were
admitted.
The disinfection of rooms and privies, and the destruction of articles
contaminated by discharges from the sick was regarded as a matter
of primary importance, inasmuch as the infective quality of Cholera has
teen shown to be developed during a certain stage of decomposition of
its discharges, and to be capable of communication by the discharges to
water or masses of night soil. The chemical agent used for disinfection
was Chloride of Lime, a substance chosen as being the most generally
useful, and in all probability the most efficient. This was given with a
paper of instructions for its use to very many families attacked by
Diarrhoea, and always when there was Cholera. In the Hospital and in
particular instances elsewhere, Carbolic acid was employed, and Condy's
fluid was used in rinsing out water butts. Where actual Cholera appeared,
the needful processes of cleansing and disinfecting were not lell lo landlords
and relatives, but were performed by careful competent persons in
the employ of the Committee, and in no case were these processes
omitted.
In certain cases where the want of sufficient wholesome food
appeared to be actually keeping up Diarrhoea, and in other cases during
convalescence after Diarrhoea or Cholera had ceased, the Committee caused
* It is witli groat regret that the Committee record the death from Cholera of
Jean Measer one of the Volunteer Nurses who assisted the Sisters in their work at
the hospital.