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53
Report of the Medical Officer of Health.
In February the following report was presented to the Council
with reference to the number of cases of Scarlet Fever occurring in
the Southfield Ward, Wandsworth :—
15th February, 1905.
Re OUTBREAK OF SCARLET FEVER IN WANDSWORTH.
During the fortnight ending the 4th February, a considerable
number of cases of Scarlet Fever have been notified to me from the
Southfield Ward. Careful enquiry has been made into the causation
of this outbreak, but it has been impossible to fix upon any particular
cause, with the exception of school attendance. Enquiry at the schools
show that the children affected were scattered over the various
departments and that no special class was affected. The three
schools were Merton Road, West Hill and Southfield, and there were
also one or two cases from St. Michael's. The curious feature of the
outbreak is, however, that several of the cases did not attend school,
and the cause of the infection in these could not be ascertained. The
Head Teachers of the schools have been interviewed, and were advised
to see that no children were allowed to attend school who were
suffering from sore throat. I am able to report, that during the past
ten days the number of cases have very considerably diminished, and
during the last week only one case has so far been notified.
Although the influence of school infection was most frequently
remarked, yet as will be seen from the number of cases occurring in
August, it was not always at work as a cause of the prevalence. The
average number of cases per month was 59 nearly, and in July the
number of cases notified was 54, in August 61, and in September 48.
In April and May the number of cases notified was 149, and a special
report was then made to the Council, not only dealing with the school
attendance as a cause, but also dealing with milk from a particular
dealer as a probable cause of a number of cases.
4th May, 1905.
SCARLET FEVER IN WANDSWORTH.
Since the commencement of the year Scarlet Fever has been
more than usually prevalent in the sub-district of Wandsworth, and
chiefly in the Southfield Ward.
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