View report page

24
The High Death-Rate.
The death-rate is much above the average ; this is due
mainly to the deaths of old persons from chest affections,
particularly bronchitis. The cold, impure air of February
has directly caused no less than 82 deaths from bronchitis,
50 being persons aged over 65, added to this, influenza
has been epidemic, and there has been a smart outbreak of
measles, necessitating the closing of the infants' department
of more than one school.
Resignation of Miss O'Kell.
Miss O'Kell has resigned simply because she has been
able to command a slightly higher salary in Paddington.
The increase is for the moment £10 per annum, hence as
half the salary is contributed from the whole County, the
Borough is losing the services of an invaluable officer for
the sake of a £5 note. A matter much to be regretted.
Smallpox.
During the month there have been 26 cases of smallpox,
no less than nine of these, or almost a third, were derived
from the Salvation Army Barracks, Burne Street. The
writer, therefore, had an interview, in company with the
Medical Officer for the County of London, with the chief
of this particular department, and suggested that none
should be permitted to take any advantage of the shelter
unless they were immunised by a recent re-vaccination, or
were willing to be re-vaccinated. This was cheerfully
assented to. Accordingly the Public Vaccinator has
attended almost every night, with the gratifying result that
over 600 adults in this institution have been re vaccinated ;
others have been re-vaccinated previously, and there only
remains a small residuum of unprotected persons, hence
there is now no fear that the establishment in Burne Street
will become a danger to the Borough. The same wise
precaution has been adopted at the writer's suggestion by
the authorities of Queen Charlotte's Hospital. A similar