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16
ON THE SANITARY CONDITION OF
to the favourable conditions produced by a larger amount of hot
weather experienced, together with the lessened rainfall, which
has characterised recent years.
Table X. shows that the cases were by no means evenly distributed,
and a weekly survey of the notifications shows clearly that
in the week ending 14th October (41st week), a very sudden and
rapid rise took place in the number of cases notified in the
Eastern and Southern Districts. The Northern and Western
Districts were much less affected, and the Central scarcely, if at
all. The sharpness of the rise is suggestive of the introduction
of the poison into those districts by some extensively used vehicle,
as milk or water. More extensive enquiry than is possible here,
is necessary to determine the mean3 by which the poison was
diffused, but it is of interest to note that if the water supplied by
any one of the companies is not maintained constantly at the
highest standard of filtration, the water supplied by the other
companies may be contaminated thereby, as in order to prevent
a diminished supply on the part of any company, a general
scheme of intercommunication between the companies has been
instituted under Act of Parliament. Thus, the New River
Company, which supplies this District, during 1899, has been
receiving water from the Grand Junction and West Middlesex
Companies, to make up that portion of its supply derived from
the river Lea, which it had given up for the benefit of East
London.
Erysipelas.—8 cases were notified in St. Anne's parish, all
in the second half of the year. 9 cases were notified in the
Strand Sub-District (with 1 death), 2 of these occurred in King's
College Hospital.
Smallpox and Vaccination.—No case of Smallpox has occurred
in this District since 1897.
I am indebted to Mr. J. H. Penfold and Mr. W. C. Hasted,
Vaccination Officers respectively of Westminster Union and
Strand Union, for the subjoined details relating to the per-