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20
SMALL POX—NO DEATHS.
(Decennial average 2.3),
Only two cases of this disease were notified during the year, both
were removed to hospital, but were sent home again as they were
cases of chicken pox only.
SCARLET FEVER—40 DEATHS.
(Decennial average 50).
The number of Scarlet Fever cases notified during the year was
1,219, nearly double the number reported in 1895; only, however,
ten more deaths occurred, bringing the total number up to forty, ten
below the average, a rate, on the notifications, of 3.2 per cent. as
against 4.1 in the previous year. The Scarlet Fever death rate last
year was equal to 0.3 per thousand population at all ages, whilst
that for the whole of London was 0.2.
In the North District 401 cases were reported with 19 deaths, in
the South, 390 with eleven deaths, and in the East, 428 cases with
ten deaths; amongst the notified cases in the latter district were
three in the Workhouse, two in the Victoria Park Hospital (all imported
cases), and 37 at the Children's Home in the Bonner Road.
The outbreak at this Institution caused me much anxiety, although
there were no deaths. Everything possible was done by the Director
of the Institution, Dr. T. B. Stephenson, and the Medical Officer,
Dr. Tunstall, to stamp out the epidemic, but the type of Fever was
so mild, that, notwithstanding the greatest care on the part of those
in authority, the disease was spread by unrecognized cases.
I made a special report on the epidemic to the Local Government
Board and to the London County Council.
The Inspectors' reports on the sanitary condition of the houses
where Scarlet Fever was notified give the following particulars:—
In 419 instances everything was found to be in a fairly satisfactory
condition, but in 117 the closets were faulty, in 21 the internal