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21
SMALL POX.
(No deaths. Decennial average 2).
No case of Small Pox was reported during the year.
SCARLET FEVER.
(Nine deaths. Decennial average 36).
The number of Scarlet Fever cases notified during the year was
417; the deaths numbered nine, a rate on the notifications of 2.1
per cent. The Scarlet Fever death rate is equal to 0.07 per
thousand population at all ages, whilst that for the whole of London
is 0.09. In the North district 154 cases were reported, with six
deaths; in the South 114, with two; and in the East 146, with one.
Amongst these last mentioned were three cases at the Children's
Home in Bonner Road.,
The Inspectors' reports on the sanitary condition of the residences
of the sick persons give the following particulars:—In 191 instances
the premises were in fairly good condition, in 75 the closets were
out of order, in nine the drains inside the house were leaky, and in
22 the outside drains were defective. In one instance the premises
were overcrowded, whilst various minor insanitary defects were
noted in 141. Thirty-seven of the cases occurred amongst families
inhabiting one room only. Two hundred and seventy persons
suffering from Scarlet Fever were removed to hospital, being about
65 per cent. of the number notified. No difficulty was experienced
in obtaining admission for Scarlet Fever patients to hospital, and in
no case was compulsion resorted to. A recent decision in the High
Court has settled what constitutes "proper lodging and accommodation"
within the meaning of section 66 of the Public Health
(London) Act, 1891. In Warwick v. Graham it was successfully
held that when a person suffering from an infectious disease is liable
to communicate and spread the malady to others he has not proper
lodging and accommodation, and the Sanitary Authority may obtain
a Magistrate's order for his compulsory removal.