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As in the rest of London, there is a decided increase in the
number of cases of diphtheria, and I fear that until there is a
better knowledge of the cause and methods of spread of
diphtheria, we shall be unable to prevent this increase. It is
undoubtedly the problem of sanitation. I am glad again to
be able to state the entire absence of typhus from the District.
BIRTHS.
The number of births registered for the whole District,
which includes the three Sub-Districts (St. Olave, St. John,
and St. Thomas) for the 52 weeks, were 412. Of this total,
207 were male children and 205 female children. This gives
a birth-rate of 32, as compared with one of 36.2 last year.
A detailed account of the sanitary work done will be found
in Table C, prepared for me by Mr. Ashdown, but I should
like to draw the attention of the Board to an important seizure
made by us of 2,501 tins of meat unfit for human food. I
received private information that a large quantity of tinned
meat was stored at Fenning's Wharf, Tooley-street, which, I
was informed, was in such a state as to be unfit for the food
of man. I therefore visited the wharf with the inspector, and
(receiving every assistance from the proprietors of the wharf
found that there were 250 cases, each containing 12 tins of
meat. Of this number 32 cases had been separated from the
rest, and placed on one side as bad. I then caused 9 cases to
be picked out from different parts of the mass, and 12 tins