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7
"which is claimed to be successful in proportion to the early recogni"tion
of the disease." The Managers have agreed to the above suggestions.
Possibly these arrangements resulted from the munificent
gift of £1,000 by the Goldsmith's Company to the Royal Colleges of
Physicians and Surgeons. Now, although the number of deaths from
the chief Zymotic diseases during 1894 were not materially fewer than
during the preceding year, there was a remarkable diminution in the
number of cases of Scarlet Fever in the District during the latter year.
Only 11 cases of Small-pox were dealt with.* The grand total of 646
cases of Zymotic disease were investigated by Mr. Cook, and 588 of
the cases were certified in accordance with the Public Health (London)
Act, 1891. Over 60 per cent. of the cases notified were removed to
Asylums' Board Hospitals; 37 per cent. were treated at their own
homes; and the remaining cases either in the London Hospital or in
the Whitechapel Union Infirmary.
The Medical Officer to the London County Council has produced
some important evidence to show how highly probable it is that school
influence bears strongly upon the spread of some of the infectious
diseases, and in this connection it will be well to remember that
Article 88 of the 1894 Code of the Educational Department provides
valuable aid in cases of emergency, so far as regards Elementary Day
Schools. It runs as follows:—" The Managers must at once comply
"with any notice of the Sanitary Authority of the district in which
"the school is situated, or any two members thereof acting on the
"advice of the Medical Officer of Health, requiring them for a specfied
"time, with a view to preventing the spread of disease, or any danger
"to health likely to arise from the condition of the School, either to
"close the School or to exclude any scholars from attendance, but,
"after complying, they may appeal to the Department if they consider
"the notice to be unreasonable." At present the arrangements are
continued whereby the Authorities of the Elementary Schools in our
District are kept accurately informed of all cases of infectious disease
occurring among their scholars, or in houses where their scholars live.
I hope that it will never be necessary to take advantage of the power
which is given by the Article from which I have quoted.
The Disinfecting Apparatus has performed good service during the
year, and I have every reason to be satisfied with the general arrangements.
Although sulphurous acid gas is still used as the routine disinfectant
for rooms, it is supplemented in special cases by perchloride
of mercury in solution.
In the summer of 1894, the former provisions as to Cholera precautions
were revived, and during the autumn months your Board added
"Diarrhœa " to the list of notifiable diseases.
* Six only were District Residents