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23
In view of the housing problem that exists, it is obvious that the
domestic overcrowding must have an adverse influence on the incidence
of notifiable diseases.
To take, for instance, one-roomed tenements in the Borough. At
the Census of 1921, there were 153 cases in which 3 persons lived in
such tenements, 49 cases in which 4 persons so lived, 18 cases where
5 persons were housed in one room, and a few other cases where the
crowding conditions were worse. In the course of our investigations
we have found as many as 8 persons, 2 adults and 6 children, living
and sleeping in one room.
In two-roomed tenements, there were 168 cases in which 5 persons
lived in such tenements, 94 cases in which 6 persons so lived, 40 cases
in which 7 persons were housed in two rooms, and a few other cases
where the crowding conditions were worse. It is possible that in
many of these instances the persons all slept in one of their two rooms,
the other room being used as a living room and kitchen.
Much the same state of affairs obtains in tenements comprising
more rooms than those already quoted.
It is fairly obvious that a person sickening with an infectious
disease will more readily infect others in such circumstances, and
especially is this so when the disease is one that principally affects
young children.
To the cost of housing and kindred schemes for improving the
health of the populace must be added the cost of the maintenance of
extra cases of infectious diseases which might not have occurred but
for the way in which the population is crowded together.
Ophthalmia Neonatorum.
The following information relating to this disease is given at the
special request of the Ministry of Health.
The mother of the one case notified had not attended at the
Borough Council's Pre-Maternity Clinic.