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16
of Mitcham, especially in its central part, for which the disease
throughout showed a preference, and a coincident outbreak
of measles which led to great confusion between the two
diseases, patients, in some cases, suffering from both
concurrently. Unknown cases, too, must have occurred,
and in four families the existence of the disease was found to
have been concealed, to the detriment, no doubt, of many
others.
Schools at first did not exercise any important influence,
but later on it became apparent that they were facilitating
the increase of the epidemic, and there was a general closure
for a short t'ime.
The type of the disease was on the whole very mild.
Five deaths were recorded, a fatality of about 2½ per cent, of the
known cases. One of these deaths, however, occurred on the
second day of illness, and the diagnosis was extremely
doubtful, while two more occurred in two brothers, members
of a family which, it is of interest to note, had previously
proved itself in more than one branch to be peculiarly
liable to a dangerous type of scarlet fever.
As regards the other parishes, there occurred during the
first quarter 4 cases in a house in Beddington, 3 in.a house
at Addington, and solitary cases in Woodmansterne and
Merton. During the second quarter 10 cases occurred in 6
houses in Merton, 2 in 2 houses in Morden, 2 in a house
at Addington, and solitary cases at Kenley, and at Hooley,
Coulsdon.
During the third quarter solitary cases were reported in
Kenley, Beddington and Merton, while in the last three months,
besides 2 cases in 2 houses at Raynes Park, Merton, and
solitary cases at Purley and Woodmansterne, there was a
sharp outbreak of 12 cases in 6 houses at Beddington Corner,
the disease having been probably conveyed from Mitcham.