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Evidence of dampness.
Information concerning the presence of dampness in the rooms occupied by the rheumatic children notified
during the year 1929-1930 shows that the Health Visitors reported dampness to be present in 37 instances, while
in 58 instances no dampness was found.
Dampness present 37 (39 per cent.)
Dampness absent 58 (61 per cent.)
In pursuance of the policy of the two previous years the houses reported by the Health Visitors to be damp
were re-inspected by the Sanitary Inspectors.
Dampness confirmed by Sanitary Inspector 24
No dampness remediable under the Public Health (London)
Act, 1891 13
37
During this year the proportion of damp houses reported by the Health Visitors has increased from 25.5 per
cent. in 1928-29 to 39 per cent., and is even greater than the figure for 1927-28 which was 37.7 per cent. It is
true that the proportion confirmed by the Sanitary Inspectors was slightly lower than in the previous year, but
even taking these figures the proportion of damp houses has increased from 18 per cent. to 26.3 per cent., and
this in spite of the fact that the instances of dampness reported in the year 1928-29 were remedied during that
year.
An analysis of the causes of reported dampness was therefore undertaken. It was found that in 16 cases
it was due to a quite temporary defect which was easily remedied. In 8 only the dampness was serious.
Temporary dampness due:
(a) Roofs defective 12
(b) Rainwater Pipes defective 2
(c) Burst Pipes 2
16
Serious dampness:
(a) Rising dampness in basement walls 6
(b) On outside walls due to porous bricks 1
(c) Defective outer walls 1
8
In the Golborne Ward, in which there is the largest incidence of acute rheumatism, there is a small flood area
in which the houses are considered likely to be damp, but it does not coincide with the largest number of
rheumatic cases. Similarly in the Norland Ward, the damp area is north of the area in which it will be seen
that a large number of cases is concentrated. There is a large flood area in the Holland Ward, and only one
case has occurred in this district. There is thus no definite evidence to show an etiological connection between
damp areas and acute rheumatism.
Rats.
Rat infested areas very commonly follow the railways, probably because there is on either side of the railways
a certain amount of open space from which the rats are not harried, and because there is often a considerable
amount of food debris thrown away in these spaces. The rat areas rarely coincide with the most marked incidence
of rheumatism. During the year 1929-30 among the new cases visited only 6.4 per cent. reported the presence
of rats. Rats are reported if they have ever been seen, although it may have been a single rat which has strayed
in from outside.
Soil.
It has been thought that dwellings built on clay soil give a high incidence of rheumatism. It is true that
the Golborne Ward, where there are numerous cases of acute rheumatism in children, has clay soil, but the southwestern
corner of St. Charles and the north-western part of Norland have not a clay soil, and it will be seen
from the map that the cases of acute rheumatism in these districts are almost as numerous as in Golborne.
Poverty.
The 95 cases notified during 1929-30 are distributed in a way similar to that of the 1927-8-9 notifications
and a consideration of a map shows a definite grouping in the " poor " areas of the Golborne, Norland and St.
Charles Wards of North Kensington.
Golborne Ward, in which the greatest number of cases occur is a district inhabited by a large number of the
poorest inhabitants of the Borough, and is one of the densely populated areas in London. The majority of the
houses were primarily built for one family only, but are now occupied by 3, 4 and 5 families without having been
specially adapted for the purpose.
In the First Annual Report of the Rheumatism Scheme, it was stated that about 90 per cent. of the acute
rheumatism notifications came from North Kensington. The same figure applies to the distribution between
North and South Kensington of the second and third year's notifications; and the combined figures show that
in a series of 359 notifications only 9.5 per cent. come from South Kensington.