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24 Parish of St. George the Martyr, Southwark.
Dr. Fisher, late House Physician to Guy's Hospital, proved having notified the
patient as suffering from small-pox, and of having told the defendant such was the
case, and that he must remain in the isolation room pending the arrival of the
ambulance. Inspector Anscombe and the caretaker of St. George's Industrial
Buildings gave evidence as to defendant being found on the balcony of his "flat"
after having made his escape either through the window or door of the isolation
room. I mentioned that the case was the first of a series of 19 small-pox patients,
who had walked through the public streets to four general hospitals and to the
Union l'elief station, with proof forthcoming of wilful exposure ; also that the Vestry
asked for a conviction with nominal punishment only.
The magistrate remarked that the case, in his opinion, was a very serious one
indeed, and that the defendant would have to pay a fine of 40s. and 2s. costs or suffer
21 days' imprisonment. The defendant went to gaol.
It should be added that the patient on returning to his own home from Guy's
Hospital was found in a bedroom which contained a number of articles of millinery
in process of manufacture by the women of the household.
Cholera.
On September 3rd, 1892, I presented a Special Report to your Vestry, on "The
precautionary measures to be taken against the introduction and spread of Asiatic
Cholera within the Parish."
This report emphasised, among other matters, the need of:—(1) The frequent
and periodical inspection of drinking-water cisterns. (2) The closing of shallow
wells, the water from which was liable to pollution, and to subsequent use for
drinking and domestic purposes. (3) Increased vigilance on the part of the
inspectors in the siezure of all tainted food, such as meat, fish, and poultry, as well
as of unripe and unsound fruit and vegetables. (4) A frequent flushing of the sewers,
together with a thorough cleansing of all roads, streets, courts, alleys, gullies, and
urinals. (5) The extension of the pail-system of dust removal throughout the parish.
(6) The furnishing of a I ouse or houses to be used for the reception and disinfection
of the persons and clothes of the families of those suffering from cholera (or from
other infectious disease) pending the treatment of the patient at home, and the
disinfection of the infected houses, bedding, and clothes. To these recommendations
the following were added :—(1) The increase and re-construction of your Sanitary
Staff. (2) The carrying out of a house-to-house inspection throughout the parish,
(3) The enforcement of a new set of bye-laws for registration and inspection,
promotion of cleanliness, and prevention of over-crowding, in lodgings let or occupied
by members of more than one family. (4) The disuse of Fraser's apparatus for
disinfecting with dry heat, and the introduction of one of Lyon's steam-under-pressure
disinfectors, together with the erection of an incinerator.
The following letter was received by me from the Asylums Board :—
The Metropolitan Asylums Board,
Norfolk House,
Norfolk Street, W.C.
25th August, 1893.
Dear Sir.
Cholera,
I enclose a list of the Boards Cholera Ambulance Stations, and of the
Hospitals and Infirmaries which have promised to provide accommodation for)
patients