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figures for 1887, when they were more adverse to the hospital
than in other years. Besides this, there were many more beds
occupied in the Homerton (Eastern) hospital in 1887 than
formerly, so that the unfavorable statistics were most probably
the result of the enormous aggregation of cases in 1887, when,
for about a month, viz., from the middle of October to nearly
the end of November, more than 400 cases were being treated
at one time in the hospital, against about 250 in October and
November, 1886, and about 200 in same period of 1882. I
then said, page 10, and repeat now, "It is evident that the
enquiry must be extended over a longer period in this and in
other districts before a definite conclusion can be arrived at."
The cases this year have scarcely been sufficiently numerous to
re-open the enquiry, but I must again express my opinion that
the cases of scarlet fever treated in the Metropolitan Asylums
Board's Hospitals should be spread over as many buildings as
possible instead of being concentrated chiefly in one or two,
so as to avoid the risk to the health of the neighbourhood which
might arise, arising out of an aggregation of more than 400
cases on one site as occurred in 1887, and the removal of so
many infected persons through the district.
I have already stated in my fortnightly reports that
a rather severe outbreak of scarlet fever ocourred at Hackney
Wick, especially during the months of September and
October, when 59 cases were reported to me. I was by no means
surprised at this, as the disease had not been epidemic there for
some years, although other localities in the district had suffered
severely. In consequence of the outbreak I deemed it advisable
to have a special inspection made in all the houses there to ascertain
if there were any accumulations of dust, choked or defeotive
drains, defective paving or water supply apparatus, and had all
the nuisances found during the inspection immediately abated.
A large number of defective water supply apparatus were found,
although the houses were examined and all such and other
defects remedied during the latter part of the previous year.