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13
OF THE CITY OF WESTMINSTER
the larger proportion of these occurred in the parish of St. Anne,
and were associated with an outbreak in connection with a police
section house. After deducting 3 cases, 2 of which were reported
as not being Scarlet Fever, and 1 as being Measles, there were in
all 55 cases in that parish. Fortunately the disease was of a very
mild type, and no deaths occurred. The remainder of the cases
were in the Strand portion, and one of them proved fatal. There
were 3 cases of this disease notified in the portion taken over
from St. Giles' Parish.
Diphtheria.—This disease was less prevalent in London, than
in 1899. In the Strand District 35 c.ases were notified, 27 being
in St. Anne's, and 8 in the Strand Sub-division. Three persons
were, after removal to an Asylum's Board hospital, stated not
to be suffering from Diphtheria, but it is evident that the persons
must have been so suffering at the date of notification, as not only
were there throat symptoms, but the Diphtheria bacillus was
isolated by a competent bacteriologist. Two of these cases were
in one family, two other members of which, were also suffering
from the disease. In connection with these cases, the Strand
Board considered there had been a want of care on the part of
the authorities at a general hospital of which they were
out-patients in not warning the mother of the danger which was
suspected, and considerable correspondence took place with the
result that the regulations of the institution, which if properly
enforced, would have obviated any difficulty, have been since
properly carried out, so far as any dealings with this District
have been concerned.
There were 3 fatal cases, 1 in St. Anne's, 2 in the Strand
Sub-district.
Mr. Cribb, the bacteriologist appointed by your Board, reports
that during the year 1900 he has examined 4 specimens taken
from the throats of persons suspected of suffering from Diphtheria,
or desirous of knowing that they were free from infection after
having been exposed thereto. In three instances the diphtheria
bacillus was not found, in the other case it was discovered.
Examination of expectoration was made in one case, to determine
if the person was suffering from consumption of the lungs, but the
tubercle organism was not found.