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So because any particular case cannot be traced to a previous one
in the school, it does not at all prove that the infection is not
amongst the scholars, for it may be there though unrecognised.
I must here add that on testing the drains of this school they were
found to be defective, and have since been reconstructed. This may
be regarded as a predisposing cause of the outbreak, by leading to a
lowering of health of the children.
Diphtheria and Anti-Toxin.—The continued experience of
this treatment in the hospitals of the Metropolitan Asylums Board
confirms the earlier reports of the Medical Superintendents as to
the serum treatment being a powerful remedy in the treatment of
Diphtheria. I am pleased to add that this treatment is making
progress amongst the medical practitioners of the district. During
the year 38 bottles of serum were sold to medical practitioners of
Hackney from the Public Health Department.
Typhus.—No case of typhus was notified in Hackney during
the year 1898.
Continued Fever.—Three cases of this disease were notified
during the past year, none of which were fatal. The usual
precautions against the spread of infectious disease were adopted in
these cases.
Puerperal Fevkr.—Fourteen cases of Puerperal Fever were
notified in 1898, of which seven were fatal. The death-rate is,
therefore, equal to .03 per 1,000 living for the year.
Cholera.—Five deaths were recorded under the head of
English Cholera. These were cases of Summer Diarrhœa.
Erysipelas.—The large number of 298 cases of Erysipelas was
notified in the past year. The deaths numbered 10, giving an
annual death-rate of .03 per 1,000 living.