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the Magistrate for its closure. This inquest was shortly followed by
another upon a man who, having removed from this house to Hoxton,
drowned himself in the Regent's Canal during the delirium of fever:
one of his children had suffered from typhus. At No. 4, Mildmay
Avenue, two cases of malignant scarlet fever have occurred, and one
has died. This house is also under orders for closure, as also another
greatly over crowded house, No. 2. All three must, after closure, be
thoroughly purified and disinfected before permitted to be re-occupied, or
fever will revive.
Ten cases of typhoid fever, out of which three died, have occurred in
a family of thirteen persons, residing at No. 65, St. James'-road. This
is a fever which takes its origin from altogether a different cause from
typhus, being little infectious. In this instance one defect occasioned
all the cases, namely, a broken trap in the water-closet within the
house, which remained for a long time neglected, and occasioned a bad
smell in it during the whole period. It is difficult to understand such
carelessness when the penalty for it may be so severe, and the remedy of
the defect is so easy and so cheap. Nothing but ignorance, or an absolute
disbelief in the best established laws of health and disease can explain it.
EDWARD BALLARD, M.D.,
Medical Officer of Health.
Yestry Offices,
May 4th, 1864.