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19
Turning again to the Table it will be seen that 38 cases were notified
during the 4 weeks ending March 25th, the previous extract from my
monthly report gives the result of a further examination into the cause
of the school epidemic, and my conclusions thereon appeared in the
report mentioned. These are sufficient in my opinion to exonerate
the school from fault.
Continuing my investigation I reported on April 22nd, "that
only 3 cases of diphtheria had occurred during the past month
among the scholars of that school, and they occurred before the Easter
recess, not a single case had occurred since the assembly of the
scholars on the 10th inst."
Since then I have seen no reason to connect the cases with any
particular school; a most noticeable fact, however, existed throughout
the whole year, that in two "localities " of the district, bounded,
North, Marsh Land, Wallis Road and White Post Lane,
South, Embankment of Main Drainage,
East, River Lea,
West, Cadogan Terrace and Wick Lane —
numbering in all 878 houses, with an estimated population of 6314,
only 20 cases occurred, being at the rate of 3.3 per 1000 inhabitants,
the rate being for the rest of the district (Bow) 13.9.
It is well known that less than 20 years ago, the majority of these
houses were poorly built on made-up land. Mr. Rugg, the new
Sanitary Inspector, is now making a house-to-house inspection of
that portion of the district, and finds in almost every house sanitary
defects, some of a serious character.
Much scepticism exists in the minds of many of the laity as well
as of some of the profession, as to the very existence of epidemic
Diphtheria this year in London. I give you the number of deaths
from that disease allotted to their respective ages; this will indicate
the actual state of things which prevailed in the Bow District during
1893—