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and his attendant should be completely separated from the rest of the family,
in a room as far as possible apart, all needless hangings and carpets being
removed ; and, after the termination of the case, the apartment, furniture,
bedding, and clothing, should be carefully disinfected prior to their re-use. A11
imperfect and unpractical apprehension of the necessity of this extreme carefulness
in the families of the wealthier, and the great difficulty of exercising it
in the families of the poor (however its necessity may be recognized) are among
the prime causes of the rapid and extensive spread of this disease. The
deaths from Scarlet fever, weekly, have been 9—6—6—6. There was one
death from diphtheria, and this disease complicated also one of the fatal cases
of scarlet fever.
The month of October has this year been remarkable for the unprecedented
range of its temperature, for the unusual height of the thermometer in its
commencement, and for its equally unusual depression towards its close. The
amount of pulmonary disease has been much below the average, but increased
decidedly during the last week of the month. The number of cases of
bronchitis, catarrh, &c., entered on the books of the Parochial Surgeons, was
only 99, against 166 and 157 cases in the two previous years. The weekly
numbers were 20, 23, 16 and 40. These gentlemen attended 61 cases of
scarlet fever, against 5, 10 and 25 in the three previous years.
EDWARD BALLARD, M.D.,
Medical Officer of Health.
Vestry Offices,
November 3rd, 1859.