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cases having been treated daring the last four weeks against 283 in the
previous five weeks. But as the deaths have greatly lessened, the disease has
probably assumed a milder character. There has also been a larger number
of cases of fever, 26 against 24 last month. Of these 7 occurred in Stroud's
Vale. More than half the cases of fever were entered in the first week of the
month. Measles and chicken-pox have nearly disappeared from the Table, but
there have been 10 cases of scarlatina, all but three of which occurred in the
South-Eastern parochial district.
The Stroud's Vale fever cases arose at a little school, at No. 5, James' Street,
to which the sister of the schoolmistress had been brought ill from an adjoining
parish. Several of the children attending the school were first attacked,
and carrying the disease to their several homes infected other persons.

I cannot conclude without calling attention to the very filthy state of the
water butts attached to most of the houses occupied by the poor. Nearly all
are without covers, and consequently gather every variety of impurity, while
in many instances, the receptacles themselves are rotten, and the water they
contain acquires, after a few hours exposure in them, so offensive an odour,
that the more decent inhabitants recoil from its use for drinking purposes.
Where water thus contaminated however is drunk, there can be no question as
to its exerting an injurious influence on the health, and favouring the disturbance
of the digestive organs which the heat of the season calls forth.
EDWARD BALLARD, M.D.,
Medical Officer of Health.
42, Myddelton Square,
September 4th, 1857.