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Road, Bow; since then nine had occurred amongst these scholars,
and several of those previously reported had proved fatal. Of the 9,
two- were second cases occurring in the houses of former patients,
leaving 7 to be accounted for.
" During the month 44 cases had been notified in No. 3 District.
"With this report he presented a table of all the patients notified
in No. 3 District since February 1st of this year; it will be found to
contain details of 94 cases, of which 35 attended the school in
question. He had exerted himself to the utmost to discover the
cause of this alarming outbreak, and in placing his position before
the Sanitary Committee, he would draw their attention to the
following facts :—
(a) A. F., 6 years (of 34 Stafford Road), was taken ill on
February 2nd, and was not notified till February 15th.
(b) On the 9th and 10th of February school parties were given
which were largely attended by scholars—amongst whom
was A. F.—and parents and friends. One child, not a
scholar, attended one of the parties, and was taken ill a few
days after of diphtheria.
(c) The majority of the cases were notified between the 17th
and 23rd of February.
(d) The school premises had been most carefully inspected, and
the drains tested without any defects of a serious kind
having been found.
The drinking water was from the main.
"His opinion, based upon these facts, was that the probable
source of the epidemic was the case of A. F., and the occasions of
the school parties were the chief dates of the spread of the infection.
On those occasions he had been told that the room was crowded for
several hours from floor to ceiling, and great excitement prevailed.