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Of the 2799 cases, 1356, or 48.4 per cent., were sent into the Hampstead
Hospital, and 67, or 2.4 per cent. into our own hospital; whilst 1376 cases,
or 49.2 per cent. were not known to be sent into hospital. I have not
obtained any statistical information from the Highgate Small Pox Hospital.
With regard to the courteous, but firm refusal of the Resident Medical
Officer of that Institution to allow me even to inspect the books of the
hospital, I will merely express a hope that the 61st clause of the Public
Health Bill, now before parliament, may speedily become law, and that it
shall become obligatory on the officers of any such institution to furnish
Medical Officers of Health with all reasonable and needful assistance in the
preparation of returns as to sickness. Unfortunately also I can obtain no
records from the Poor Law Officers of this parish as to the number of pauper
cases treated in the above hospital, with the results.
Of the 2799 cases, 711, or 25.4 per cent. died, besides 40 deaths in the
Highgate Hospital. The rate of mortality is best obtained, however,
from the rate of mortality in the Hampstead Hospital, where it was 19.4
per cent. among patients from this parish. The epidemic was not only
unusually severe, but uncommonly fatal, large numbers of the cases being
of a malignant and hæmorrhagic type ; and hæmorrhagic cases are almost
invariably fatal. No single case of this form was admitted into the
Temporary Hospital.
As regards the scientific history of the disease, the epidemic illustrates
the well-known fact that contagion was the perhaps exclusive agent in the
spread of the disease. Into all the reasons which have induced me to
arrive at the conclusion that personal contact with an infected person, the
act of coming within a very short distance of such a person, or contact
with infected articles, are the sole efficient means of spreading Small Pox,
it is unnecessary that I should enter. Of course unprotectedness by proper
vaccination, or in the case of adults, by re-vaccination after reaching adult
life, is presupposed.
Two agents have, however, been alleged to be active in propogating
Small Pox in St. Pancras during the past year; and yet I believe that
these supposed agents have had nothing whatever to do with spreading the
disease. These were the Fleet Sewer, running from the Hampstead Hospital
through this parish from N.W. to S.E., which receives the sewage of that
institution; and the wind blowing from the hospital over this parish. It
will be necessary for me to say a few words as to these.
First, as regards the influence of the Fleet Sewer. My attention was
drawn to this at an early period of the year, and I have kept a careful
watch upon cases of Small Pox occurring in the neighbourhood of this
sewer. I have nevertheless been quite unable to trace any greater number
of cases of the disease, as occurring over or about the sewer than in any
other part of St. Pancras. The sewer had, I am convinced, no appreciable
influence in spreading Small Pox.
Next, as regards the wind, it has been alleged by a respected medical
member of the Sanitary Committee and of the Guardians' Board, that it
had been noticed that when the wind had blown for some time from
the west, i.e. blowing from the Hampstead Hospital over this parish, an
increase of Small Pox among us followed, attributable to a something
derived from the hospital. Now it is generally accepted amongst the