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60
One gave the address of an hotel that was closed. Six were
not known at the address given, nor did they arrive there. Two
left the address given on the same afternoon that they arrived
and were completely lost sight of. Three arrived at the address
and in a day or so went elsewhere—telling the hotel-keeper they
were going to the Continent. In two instances the hotel-keeper
refused information and resisted all enquiry.
So that, in all, out of the 37 persons, only 22 were subject to
useful supervision.
If this enquiry shows anything at all, it demonstrates the uselessness
of this method, at all events in England.
It may perhaps be an effective method in Continental towns
where a man has to register himself with the police within 24 or
48 hours of his arrival.
In England, however, unless some further powers are available,
the work in Finsbury shows that the method is worse than useless
—because it is assumed to be effective when it is in reality
nothing of the kind.
GLANDERS.
No case of glanders in man was notified during the year.
Notice was, however, received of two outbreaks of glanders
amongst horses in mews in the Borough.
DIPHTHERIA.
The number of true cases notified was 152, of which 13 died,
equal to a case mortality of 8.5 per cent., or, put in another way,
this means that 8.5 per cent. of all the cases died of the disease.
The percentage of deaths is lower than it has ever been since the
borough was incorporated. The number of cases has recently
shown a tendency to increase.