London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Finsbury 1903

Report on the public health of 1903

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35
five, sickened on March 26th and was notified on March 30th.
(10) Albert L., aged seven, followed on April 2nd, having contracted
his infection at home.
Such is the record of the cases at Brewer Street School. Where
did they obtain infection ? Enquiry elicited two broad facts.
First, Diphtheria was present in the infants' class at Moreland
Street Board School, which is situated in the same district as the
Brewer Street School and which draws children from the same
streets. Secondly, the drainage at the Brewer Street School was
found to be defective.
The Diphtheria at Moreland Street School may be considered first.
(1) On February 2nd, I received a notification of Florrie B., aged
five years, who sickened with Diphtheria on J anuary 30th. (2) About
a week later her brother, William B., aged six, became ill and
died of Diphtheria on February 10th. Both of these children
attended Moreland Street School. It has been impossible to trace
the source of their infection. But it is evident they conveyed
infection to other children at the Moreland Street School. (3) For
on February 3rd, I received notification of Edward P., aged
four, from the same class, and (4) on February 14th, of Edith
S., aged five years. (5) On the same day Frederick H., aged
three and a half, was notified, and he was followed four days
later by (6) Francis Walker, aged four. This child shared luhch
with the last two children, and probably came in the way of
infection in this way. Here then are six cases of Diphtheria
within about ten days in the same classes.
To these classes came a girl named W., who, without contracting
Diphtheria herself appears to have taken the infection
home and given it to her younger sister Florence W., who went
to Brewer Street School and not to Moreland Street. This
family consisted of father, mother, two little girls and a little
boy. One girl went to Moreland Street and evidently brought
infection back home, which attacked the other girl who contracted
Diphtheria, took infection to Brewer Street School, and was