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60
Medical Officers of Health Annual Report.
cent, of the cases of scarlet fever were removed to hospital
compared with 41 per cent, during the year 1893. The
removal of cases has been effected promptly, and this has
doubtless had the effect of cutting short the epidemic.
Diphtheria.—I am glad to say that the epidemic from
which we suffered so severely in 1893, has practically
disappeared. 17 cases were notified during the first
quarter, and only 4 in the last. During the twelve
months 32 cases were notified to me, so that more than
a half of the total number were notified during the first
quarter of the year. During 1893, 69 cases were notified,
and most of these during the last 4 or 5 months of the
year. The epidemic began in August, 1893, and continued
on during the first quarter of 1894. I have
reason to believe that the sanitary measures resorted to
had an effect in controlling the spread of the disease.
In the area principally affected, which I mentioned in my
last report, a thorough inspection was made from house
to house of the conditions of the house drains and water
supply, with the result that leaky house drains were found
to exist in many cases. Those defective drains have been
relaid and tested at considerable inconvenience and expense
to the occupiers and owners of the property. I am
convinced, however, that it has been well worth all the
outlay and inconvenience caused. In my opinion there
is nothing more dangerous to health than the existence of
leaky drains, especially where they run underneath the
house itself. The subsoil under and around the house
becomes gradually sodden with sewage matter. There it
gradually decomposes, producing most offensive and
noxious gases. In the winter time, especially, when
houses are artificially warmed, and the surface of the
earth is cold or frozen, they must necessarily exert a considerable
suction action on the subsoil air, which is, therefore
drawn into the houses to the great danger of the
occupants thereof. I cannot help thinking there is more