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Report of the Medical Officer of Health. 61
The 11 cases which occurred in an Institution in Clapham
were among the boarders at a school connected with a Convent
in that sub-district. The first case was notified on the ist December
and the last on the 24th, 11 cases in all being notified. The school
was visited by the Deputv Medical Officer of Health in consultation
with the Medical Attendant and an examination of the remaining
children made. A child was then discovered in a peeling condition
and was at once removed to hospital and no further cases
followed.
In Putney seven cases occurred among the resident scholars
in connection with a Convent. The first case, which was infected
by a visiting master who resided outside the borough, was notified
on the 27th February and the other cases occurred at short intervals
up to the 28th March. With the exception of the first case, which
died, all the cases were of a mild type.
A slight outbreak of Scarlet Fever occurred at the Royal
Victoria Patriotic Schools, Wandsworth. The first case occurred on
the 23rd February, and other cases occurred at short intervals up
to the 21st April. In all 30 cases were notified, all of them being
of a mild type and no deaths occurred. All precautions were taken
and the Medical Officer in charge carried out daily examination of
all contacts so that the outbreak was minimised to a large extent.
Disinfection of the dormitories, bedding, etc., was carried out
by the sanitary staff, and after the 21st April no cases occurred
up to August, when the Institution was taken over by the Military
Authorities as a General Hospital.
During the year Scarlet Fever was exceedingly prevalent, not
only in the Metropolis, but in the districts surrounding it. The
rate of incidence in this Borough was considerably under that
for the whole of London, the rate in the Borough being 4.33 and
in London 5.64 per 1,000 of population. In the various sub-districts
the rate was lowest in Clapham, next in Streatham, followed by
Putney, Wandsworth and Tooting.