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1,000). Smallpox, which had not made much progress in the general population of this district in
1901, increased in amount during the first quarter of 1902, and lasted to the end of August, the
greatest number of cases in common lodging-houses occurring in the second quarter of 1902. The
incidence on the remaining eastern district, Poplar (7.8 cases per 1,000), was nearly that of Bethnal
Green. Smallpox had appeared among the general population of this district in the latter part
of 1901, and after the first month of 1902 became much more prevalent, continuing in considerable
proportion until the latter part of June, after which it declined. The common lodging-house
population of this district had remained free from smallpox during 1901, but some nineteen cases
occurred among inmates of these houses in the first quarter of 1902.
During the first quarter of 1902, next, to the eastern group of districts, the central group of
districts suffered most (7.3 cases per 1,000). This group comprises the districts of Holborn,
Finsbury, and the City. In Holborn (12.7 cases per 1,000), in which the common lodginghouse
population had been severely attacked in the last quarter of the year 1901, the disease
attained its maximum in the last week of that year, and after the next two or three weeks rapidly
declined, increasing a little at the latter part of the quarter and then further declining. In Finsbury
(5.2 cases per 1,000), the disease never attained the same prevalence as in Holborn.
Finsbury had been invaded in September of 1901 as the result of the return of hoppers from Sussex
while suffering from smallpox, but the outbreak was promptly dealt with, and, although a few
cases of smallpox still occurred week by week during the last quarter of that year, the disease did
not attain its maximum prevalence until February and March, 1902. In the latter month the
disease declined, but cases continued to occur into May, and in July and August there was further
prevalence arising from a child whose illness was certified erroneously to be chicken-pox, and from
a man who suffered from the disease as a result of visiting the smallpox hospital. The City, which
is also included in the central districts, was but little affected by the epidemic at any time.
The north, south and west groups of districts suffered much in the same proportion, the
incidence in the north being, in the first quarter of the year, 2.7 per 1,000 of population, in the
south 2.6, and in the west 2.0 per 1,000. The northern group comprises St. Pancras, Islington,
St. Marylebone, Hackney, Stoke Newington, and Hampstead. In St. Pancras the common lodginghouse
population was but little attacked, but the disease maintained its prevalence in this district
until the summer of 1902, notwithstanding that it was the first district in London seriously invaded
during the preceding year. In Islington, which borders on St. Pancras in the east, although
invaded soon after St. Pancras, the disease did not attain its maximum until towards the close of
the first quarter, and then not a high one. In St. Marylebone, which borders on St. Pancras in the
west, cases of smallpox occurred early, and continued into 1902, when the disease appeared in the
common lodging-houses and in a Salvation Army shelter. The number of cases, however, never
attained great proportions. There were only a few cases in Hackney during 1901. Twenty-four
cases, however, occurred at the beginning of the year 1902 as the result of infection from an
unrecognised case of the disease, after which the disease began to assume serious proportions, the
common lodging-house population remaining nearly free. Stoke Newington and Hampstead
were but little affected.
The southern group of districts comprises Southwark, Bermondsey, Lambeth, Battersea, Wandsworth,
Camberwell, Deptford, Greenwich, Lewisham, and Woolwich. Of these districts, Southwark,
which contains a large common lodging-house population, had been invaded early in the
epidemic, the infection being received from Holborn. Cases of the disease occurred in each of the
last ten weeks of 1901, appearing in the common lodging-house population in November, and in
subsequent months attaining considerable proportions in this class. Notwithstanding the efforts
which were made, the common lodging-house population furnished many cases until after
June, 1902. In Bermondsey there was a considerable localised outbreak in the latter part
of October and in November, 1901, after which the number of cases diminished, but some
prevalence in the borough was maintained until June, 1902. It was only in February, 1902, and
the subsequent three months that cases occurred in the common lodging-house population. In
Wandsworth the disease appeared in July, 1901, and was promptly dealt with, but the district was
again invaded towards the latter part of the year, and cases continued to occur until the beginning
of August, 1902. The common lodging-house population, which is small, was but little affected.
Battersea suffered about twice as much as Wandsworth, but less proportionately than London as a
whole. Cases began to occur at the end of October, and continued almost without intermission
until the beginning of August. The common lodging-house population, which is small, was but
little affected. Camberwell was invaded in October, 1901. The disease did not make much progress
until the end of March, 1902, when much greater prevalence occurred; the cases began to
decline in May, 1902, but the disease continued until the end of July. The common lodging-house
population in this district was not much affected. In Lambeth cases of smallpox occurred in
August and September, 1901, and continued in small proportions until the last week of the year,
when the numbers considerably increased; the major prevalence lasted until May, 1902, after
which the number of cases declined, but continued in some degree until August. A few cases
occurred in the common lodging-house population. In Deptford, Greenwich and Lewisham,
although occasional cases occurred in the latter part of 1901, there was no constant succession of
cases until the early part of 1902. In Lewisham the succession of cases week by week began later,
and terminated earlier than in Deptford and Greenwich, and only a few cases occurred in any of
these districts after the end of July, 1902. The common lodging-house population of these three
districts practically escaped. In Woolwich cases of smallpox occurred in small numbers in every
week from November, 1901, to the end of the year, after which there was some increase, which
attained greater magnitude in March and April, 1902. Woolwich suffered more severely than any
any of the southern districts, except Southwark. The common lodging-house population is much