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St. George-the-Martyr.—The medical officer of health reports that the vestry have as yet
come to no resolution on the subject of provision of a shelter. He states that in a number of
cases efficient fumigation was impracticable owing to the absence of accommodation for people during
the fumigation of their room. In 1894 there were 99 one-room tenements infected, 120 two-room,
and 49 three-room ; the number of persons occupying the one-room tenements being 342, the number
occupying two-room tenements being 699, and three-room tenements 290.
St. Olave.—The shelter was used 17 times during the year by 72 persons, 65 of whom were
provided with sleeping accommodation.
Bermondsey.—The question of provision of a shelter is under consideration.
Rotherhithe.—On the 12th March, 1895, the vestry resolved to purchase No. 15, Cathay-street,
to be used as a shelter.
Wandsworth.—(Clapham).—The shelter on the parish wharf was not used.
Greenwich.—The shelter was occupied by 5 families. No one from Deptford made use of the
shelter.
Plumstead.—'The shelter was used on 9 occasions by families including 20 persons.
It will be seen from the above statements that the use of shelters is increasing, and that when
suitable provision has been made the poor are willing to avail themselves of these temporary homes
during the disinfection of their own dwellings.
Hospital Provision for Infectious Disease.
The report of the Statistical Committee of the Metropolitan Asylums Board states that during
1894 17,759 fever, diphtheria and small-pox patients were removed .from their homes to the various
hospitals of the managers; 5,159 convalescent patients were transferred to the Northern and Gore Farm
hospitals; 5,465 recovered patients were brought back to London from the latter hospitals, and 269
patients were removed to other places than the managers' hospitals, exclusive of 143 who were taken
from the out-patient departments of general hospitals to their homes, owing to there being no vacant
beds in the managers' hospitals, and of 216 enteric fever patients who were' removed from their homes
to general hospitals, where the managers had made arrangements for the reception of this class of
patients.
The accommodation provided for cases of scarlet fever was found sufficient during the year, but
that provided for cases of diphtheria and enteric fever was inadequate, and consequently " much delay
has occurred in the removal of enteric and diphtheria patients."
The erection of a hospital at Shooter's-hill to contain 500 beds for fever and diphtheria patients
was well advanced, and plans were prepared and adopted for the construction of hospitals in permanent
materials at Hither-green and Lower Tooting for about 500 beds each. Works of reconstruction and
enlargement were in course of being carried out at the existing hospitals of the Board, and the
managers had under consideration the question of securing a site for the erection of a permanent
convalescent fever hospital in the south of London. The report states that when the additional
accommodation above referred to had been provided, the managers would possess about 5,900 beds for
patients other than those suffering from smallpox.
Additional land to the extent of about 350 acres near the hospital ships at Long-reach had
been acquired as a site for an isolation hospital for small-pox patients.
Spread of Disease by Vagrants.
The spread of small-pox by vagrants was under the consideration of the Public Health Committee
in 1893, in connection with a report which I had presented to the Committee, and which showed that
in January and February, 49 per cent, and in March 52 per cent, of the whole number of cases of
small-pox in London, concerning which I had obtained particulars, were furnished by the class which
had no settled lodging or habitation.
During the same year, Dr. Armstrong, the medical officer of health of Newcastle-upon-Tyne,
presented a report to his authority, summarising replies to a letter addressed by him to the medical
officers of health of 116 urban sanitary authorities. These replies, which related to 72 districts, showed
that of 63 districts invaded by small-pox the disease was known to have been first introduced by
vagrants in the case of 37 districts, Or 59 pet cent., and that in 46, or 73 per cent., the disease was
sooner or later so introduced. In the large majority of cases the vagrants in question were housed,
and the disease was manifested, in common lodging-houses.
Dr. Armstrong having expressed the hope that the Council would afford facilities for a conference
of urban sanitary authorities, I was instructed by the Public Health Committee to ascertain whether
the authorities of the large towns in England and Wales were in favour of the holding of such a
conference. The replies generally, being in favour of such a proceeding, a conference was held on
July, 1894, at the County Hall, when the Chairman of the Council presided.
The meeting was attended by delegates from six county councils, 26 urban sanitary authorities,
and 33 London vestries and district boards; the Metropolitan Asylums Board was also represented.
After discussion, the following resolutions were adopted—
1. That common shelters which are not subject to the law relating to common lodginghouses
should be made subject to such law.
2. That there should be power for the local authority to require medical examinations of
all persons entering common lodging-houses and casual wards, and that each inmate of a
common lodging-house or casual ward should, on admission, have a bath of fresh water.
3. That the local authority should have power to order the keeper of a common lodginghouse,
in which there has been infectious disease, to refuse fresh admissions for such time as
may be required by the authority.
4. That the local authority should be empowered to require the temporary closing of
any common lodging-house in which infectious disease has occurred.