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39
phthisis.
In one-room homes separate sleeping accommodation, except where the home is occupied
bv one person only (there were 28 such homes), is impossible. In other homes of all classes
50 of the deceased had separate bedrooms, and 24 others separate beds but not separate
bedrooms.
In 33 houses previous cases of fatal consumption were known to have occurred:—
21 had one previous case each;
9 „ two „ „ ; and
3 „ three „ „ ;
Insanitary conditions were noted at 21 houses, including 12 cases of dirty and 0 of damp
premises.
Many interesting facts relating to the cases have been reported bv the Inspectors for
which space cannot be found here. The following brief notes are submitted as tvpical:—
V. A., female, at. 17; died Feb. 7th
W. A., male, set. 14; died Aug. 8th brother and sister.
Mother's lungs reported affected, also a third child's; five relatives on the mother's side are known
to have died of "consumption." W. A. in close association with V. A. during last months of
latter's life. Family reside on ground floor of house, very clean but damp.
P. N., male, ret. 6 mos.; died after 3 months' illness. Mother belongs to consumptive family, and was
in advanced stage of disease at time of her marriage. At age of 3 months child was affected,
and was then taken from mother, whose death occurred shortly after that of the child.
S. R., male, aet. 50. Died after illness of some 7 months. Subject to bronchitis; deceased had a bad
attack of that disease while in " straitened circumstances," from which he never really recovered.
He left his wife and two younger children in failing health, the widow having no prospects of
earning a livelihood except by charing, for which she is physically unfit.
L. L., female, aet. 53, died in February. The home was found to be damp and dirty. Cleansing was
promised after disinfection, but, owing to the deceased's husband being always at work, the
Inspector was not able to get admission to the home to ascertain whether the work had been carried
out. In November the husband died of consumption, and it was then found that no cleansing had
been done.
W. I., male, aet. 58, of intemperate habits. The father of 10 children, of whom 13 died in childhood, all,
it is said, having had "delicate lungs," a euphemism for consumption.
C. M., male, aet. 34. Was consumptive as a child, but had been discharged from hospital at age of 15 as
cured. Two of his children died from this disease. There was no history of earlier cases of
consumption in the deceased's family.
The case of S. R. given above illustrates one of the great difficulties associated with the
treatment of this disease. When the breadwinner of the family is affected, the poverty
which almost inevitably results not only prejudices his chances of recoverv, but leads to such
a lowering of the vitality of the other members of the family as to render them specially
liable to contract the disease. The patient is unable to lie up for the many weeks or months
necessary for his cure. If removed to a sanatorium, his mental anxiety for those left at home
impedes-his recovery, and often leads him to take his discharge too earlv. Organisation is
required to provide, either by gift or loan, the money necessarv for the wants of the families
of persons who are admitted to sanatoria. Until this be done, sanatorium treatment will
not be available for those of the poorer classes having families dependent on them.
Other Tubercular Diseases.—To these 54 deaths were due, the same number as in 1903,
but 27 less than the corrected annual average (81). In St. Marv Sub-District there were
45 deaths (average 60), in St. John 4 (average 10), and in North-West Paddington 5
(average 11). (Sec also Tables IV. and V., Appendix.) The mortality was at the rate of