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Christ Church Schools, Paradise Street, two of them being in Class-room V., and one in the next
highest Class-room (No. IV.).
On visiting the school the following day I found, on examining the children in the babies'
class that a boy, G. M., 3 years, of Salisbury Street, was sitting in the class with a well-developed
scarlet fever rash on him. He was immediately sent home and subsequently removed to hospital.
As he had been mixing freely with the others I anticipated there might be an outbreak in this
class, and recommended its closure for fourteen days—notice, of which the following is a copy,
being sent to the Managers:—
" To the Managers of Christ Church Schools,
" Paradise Street.
" May 9th, 1905.
" We, the undersigned, being two members of the Sanitary Authority for the Metropolitan
Borough of Bermondsey, acting on the advice of Dr. R. K. Brown, Medical Officer of Health
of the said Borough, do hereby order and require the closure of Class-room V. of Christ
Church Schools, Paradise Street, for a period of fourteen days from the date hereof, with a
view to preventing the spread of scarlet fever and the danger to health likely to arise
therefrom.
" (Signed) J. H. Wilkinson,
" Joseph Widdows."
The names and addresses of the " contacts," which were 65 in number, were taken down
and given to the District Inspectors to be kept under observation. Copies of this list were also
sent to the neighbouring schools with the request that these children should not be admitted.
in the course of the following week a number of suspicious cases of illness were brought
to my notice, but on visiting the houses and examining the children they were found not to be
suffering from scarlet fever.
Two of the "contacts," A. W., 4 years, of Park Buildings, and G. C., 4 years, of Cherry
Garden Street, subsequently developed the disease and were sent to hospital.
No further cases have so far been discovered in connection with the school.
June 27th, 1905.
Four notifications of scarlet fever were received in connection with Midway Place School,
two in connection with Class-room G, and two with Class-room C. In making local inquiries at
the school, it seems that J. H., 6 years (male), Class-room C, probably became infected from the
previous case in this class-room, viz., V. B., 5 years (female). There did not seem sufficient
grounds to warrant the closure of the class, but a close watch is being kept on the school. No
further cases have at present occurred.
Aug. 30th, 1905.
We report that between July 17th and August 10th, 11 cases of scarlet fever occurred in
Rotherhithe within the radius from which St. Paul's Schools draw their scholars. These
belong to 7 families. As 7 cases, 5 of whom were in Class 2, occurred before July 27th, the
question of closing this class was considered, but since it was so close to the holidays this was
not considered nefcessary.
The last case occurred on August 10th, in Mistears Buildings, and so far there does not
appear to be any tendency for the disease to spread.
October 10th, 1905.
There is a considerable increase in the number of cases of scarlet fever in the Borough,
but this seems general all over London. I have had the milk supplies, both wholesale and
retail, tabulated in Connection with the cases, also the schools, and any other common source of
infection which has suggested itself to me, but am unable so far to trace any connection between
these and the increase of the disease in the Borough.
It is of a mild type, and therefore, if possible, more liable to spread, because from inquiries
it would appear that unrecognised cases are playing an important role in the increase of the
disease in this Borough.