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In each case the dairyman, the middleman, and the farmer were
communicated with, and steps were taken by several of the wholesale
firms to have the cows examined at the inculpated farms, with
a view to preventing such milk being sent to them. I gather that
it is contrary to the agreements made between the farmer and the
companies to send milk so contaminated.
There were 23 deaths of infants under one year registered as
dying from various forms of tubercular disease ; in two the lungs were
affected, in nine the abdomen, in 10 the meninges of the brain, and in
two the system generally; of these, eight were less than three months
old at the time of death, 10 were between three and six months. In
several instances the mother was suffering from consumption at the
time of birth. 28 deaths were of children between one and five
years of age. Without systematic enquiry it is impossible to say in
what way these children may have become infected ; it may have
been through the agency of infected milk, but I believe the way in
which most children become infected is by means of infected dust in
carpets and floors of rooms which have been occupied by persons
suffering from phthisis. So soon as they are able children are allowed
to play and crawl about on the floor, and may easily convey infective
materials from the hands to the mouth.
Since Koch stated at the Tuberculosis Congress that there was
some doubt that tubercle, as it grew in cows, could affect human
beings, a Royal Commission has been appointed to investigate the
point.
Infectious Diseases.
(1) Notifiable Diseases.—During the 52 weeks of 1901,1,057 cases
of infectious disease were notified to my predecessors or to me. The
details respecting them are set out in the Local Government Board's
Return (Table C), which also shows the number treated in hospital
as well as the number of deaths.
The number of cases of each disease notified in London since
1890 are shown in Table XIX, together with cases notified during
the same period in the different divisions which, with some modifications,
now form the City. The total notifications in London in 1901
were equal to 88'9 per 10,000 population. As a total this is above
that of 1900 (76*7), but is considerably below the average of the
previous 10 years. The principal increase was in respect of
scarlet fever; diphtheria was slightly higher, and smallpox was
considerably above the figure recorded in recent years. The number
of cases of all the other notifiable diseases were below both the
average and that of 1900.