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employed in conveying an infected person to a Hospital, should not be
allowed to leave until it had been thoroughly disinfected under the superintendence
of the Hospital authorities.
The number of Deaths from Cholera in this District during the epidemic
of 1866 was 612, and the rate of mortality lower than in any of the
Eastern Districts, with the exception of Shoreditch. This low rate in
Shoreditch may be accounted for by the fact that that district is almost
wholly supplied with water by the New River Company.
The first case registered in this Parish in 1866, as one of Choleraic
disease, was that of a girl, aged 5 years, who died May 6th, at 5, Gibraltar
Walk. I agree with the Registrar that this was not a case of real
Cholera, although I enter it as it was registered. Then follow a male of
5 years, 3, Charles Street; a male of 11 months, 21, Old Bethnal Green
Road; and a female, aged 9 years, 21, St. Jude’s Street. The first case
of true epidemic Cholera I believe to be one which occurred July 12th—
a porter, aged 37 years, at 29, Wellington Place; a second occurred at
the Workhouse on the 13th instant; these, with a doubtful case of a
female, aged 1 month, constitute the 3 registered for the week ending
July 14th. For the next week, ending July 21st, 43 deaths were
registered. When this became known, a Vestry was convened for
July 26th, the earliest legal date to consider what steps should be taken
to prevent the extension of the disease. In the interim, the Order in
Council, dated July 21st, was received, so that when the Vestry met,
measures were at once taken to put in force its provisions. A Committee
of the whole Vestry was formed, and it was arranged that I should
confer with the District Medical Officers, and report accordingly. A
meeting was held at my residence the same evening, at which all the
District Medical Officers attended, with the exception of Dr. Lyell, who
was out of town, and all agreed to accept appointments as Medical Visitors,
to keep open surgeries for the gratuitous supply of medicines, and to leave
the question of remuneration until the termination of their duties. It
was proposed that the Vestry should find disinfectants, nourishments, and
stimulants, and provide fifteen assistants for house to house visitation, &c.,
at a salary of 4l. 4s. each per week. This was reported the next
morning (July 27th), and agreed to by the Vestry. At the last moment,
however, some of the District Medical Officers, refused to act, except at
a remuneration of 2l. 2s. per day; and this not being acceded to, they
were not appointed. It was arranged to form Dispensary Stations in