London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

View report page

Woolwich 1899

The eleventh annual report of the health, sanitary condition, etc., etc., of the District of Woolwich for the year 1899

This page requires JavaScript

9
of the Medical Officer of Health to the Port Sanitary Authority (Dr.
Collingridge) was drawn; who was of opinion that the first case was
imported into the ship, and gave rise to the outbreak. Under his
direction the boys were sent home for a fortnight, and the ship
thoroughly disinfected. No further cases have arisen.
With regard to the cases at Elizabeth Street School, the exact
cause of the outbreak could not be traced. The children affected, with
two or three exceptions, all lived in one particular area—one street
having four cases. It was found on inquiry that the children were in
many instances in the habit of playing together, and in some cases of
visiting each other's houses. The large room of the Infants' Department,
where most of the children were, was closed and thoroughly
disinfected.
Enteric or
Typhoid Fever.
Twenty-seven notifications were received, being an
increase in the number received yearly for the past four
years. Some difficulty was experienced in the removal of these cases
in September and October, owing to pressure in hospital accommodation,
due to the outbreak in the East London district.

On reference to the returns of the Metropolitan Asylums Board (see Table XVI.) we get the notifications of the principal infectious

Measles.
A slight outbreak occurred among children attending
Maryon Park School. The Infants' department of the school was
closed for a week after the Easter holidays. The majority of the
children were living in Charlton parish.
On reference to the returns of the Metropolitan Asylums Board
(see Table XVI.) we get the notifications of the principal infectious