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2
I mentioned in my last Report the outbreak of “Relapsing” fever
among the people occupying Rose and Crown Court. From the
beginning of November to the date of this Report, 17 cases have occurred
there in persons belonging to six families. Three cases have occurred
since. The present experience is that when it has entered a room, every
person occupying that room has sooner or later been seized by it.
On becoming aware of the presence of the fever, I visited personally
every family in the court, and found nearly all in a state of distress
from want of work and food. On representing the facts to the
Board of Guardians, Mr. Turner, the District Medical Officer, was
empowered to order relief in food to any that he thought required it,
independently of their being absolutely sick. It has been, hitherto,
the practice of the owner of the court to see to the periodical cleansing
of the privies, which have always given us much trouble from the
dirty habits of the people; but since the outbreak of the fever, the
Sanitary Committee has undertaken this duty, rather than risk the
recurrence of neglect. The contractor also has cleansed the surface of the
court daily, and I have had it, with the privies, daily disinfected with
the carbolates. Every diligence has been shown in getting the sick
away to the hospital. The disease has thus been confined as yet to the
court in which it first broke out. The houses are most miserable
ill-constructed dwellings, incorrigibly damp, dilapidated, and
unwholesome; and I have now reported them under the Artizans' and
Labourers' Dwellings Act, as unfit to be inhabited by humam beings.

The highest day temperature, observed on November 15th was 58.3°
The lowest night temperature, observed on November 12th was 29.8°.
EDWARD BALLARD, M.D.,
Medical Officer of Health.
Vestrv Offices,
December 6th, 1869.