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7
Scarlet Fever :—During 1895 there were 46 notifications, 27 removed to the
Hospital. During 1896, 59 notifications, 48 of which were treated in
the Council's Hospital, Upney.
The increasing per centage treated at the Hospital is thus very marked.
There were 2 deaths in 1896, being exactly the number that took place
in 1895.
Enteric Fever: —Special Report submitted to the Council, on the 21th November,
1896, and forwarded to the Local Government Board, on the 1st December, 1896.
[copy.]
BARKING TOWN URBAN DISTRICT COUNCIL.
Medical Officer of Health's Office,
Barking, Essex.
24th November, 1896.
To the Chairman and Members of the
Barking Town Urban District Council.
Gentlemen,
I have from time to time reported to yon as to the progress or otherwise of Enteric
Fever in your District, and now acting upon your instructions I heg to submit (as far as practicable)
a report upon the whole epidemic.
The first case came under my notice on the 13th July last, and was immediately removed
by ambulance to the London Hospital. He had been ill many days (about 10 I should think) before
I saw him. I made the strictest enquiries as to whether he had partaken of shell fish of any kind,
with the result that he might have done occasionally, and both the milk and water supply were
apparently without fault. Under my instructions the house drains were tested ana found (by the
smoke test) to admit sewer gas into the house. The defects were remedied under the supervision
of the Sanitary Inspector.
The list annexed hereto gives as far as is known the number of cases with the result of
enquiries made in every case.
From such list and enclosed Spot map, it will be apparent that by far the greater number of
cases occurred in the course of the old sewer of the town and its connections, out of the total of
34 cases 18 prevailed in this connection. Upon examination, the sewer in the upper part of Axe
Street, around which several cases occurred (see map) was found in some respects defective, and it has
been resolved to lay down a fresh sewer with proper fall and ventilation in its place.
The District Council have still under consideration the best method of dealing with the old
sewer throughout its entire length with reference especially to its adequate ventilation (see
Surveyor's report hereto annexed).
Means Adopted for Checking the Spread of the Disease :
1. Removal to Hospital—out of the 34 cases notified, 28 were treated in Hospital, either at
the Council's Upney Isolation Hospital or at one of the London Hospitals.
2. Instructions given by Sanitary Inspector as to the use of disinfectants, which were
supplied gratis.