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directly or indirectly derived through attendance at a day school, 17
cases being referable to the Raynham Road School, 10 to the Brettenham
Road School, 10 to the Croyland Road School, and the other
14 in small numbers to other schools.
It is worthy of note that no group of cases occurred in connection
with the St. Barnabas' Schools, and that for at least 4 consecutive
years no group of Scarlet Fever cases has been referable to them. I
learn on enquiry that the number of scholars on the school register is
185, and the average attendance 149, and that there is accommodation
for 150 other scholars. It appears to be the practice to immediately
send home any children shewing signs of illness. Whatever may be
the explanation of an absence of a group of Scarlet Fever cases among
the children attending these schools for several consecutive years,
although other schools in the district did not escape, I think it must
point to careful supervision and ample space accommodation, for which
the management and staff deserve credit.
From the remaining 35 primary cases, certain groups can be
separated according to the probable source of infection.
Six cases clearly contracted the disease without the district, and
were brought to this district with the disease developed or incubating.
Two of the cases notified contracted the disease in a London Hospital,
to which they had been admitted for other reasons, and were not
brought to this district until they had been discharged from one of the
hospitals of the Metropolitan Asylums Board.
Two cases occurred in the Edmonton Workhouse, to which they
appear to have been sent while incubating the disease.
Three cases occurred in the Edmonton portion of Bush Hill Park,
1 of which appeared to have derived the infection from a school not in
this district.
Three of the primary cases were what are called " return cases,"
that is to say, that a fresh case developed shortly after the return of a
case from hospital.
Two of these cases occurred in the same family, the infection on 2
successive occasions appearing to have been renewed by the return of a
case from hospital.
The third case was rather a hardship on the Council. The original
case occurred in a child who had been admitted to a Children's Hospital
in London for the purpose of having an operation performed; while
there he contracted the disease, and was taken to one of the hospitals
of the Metropolitan Asylums Board, he was discharged from thence to
this district, and within a week of his return his sister developed
Scarlet Fever, for whose maintenance in hospital the Council had to
pay. Some correspondence with the Metropolitan Asylums Board took
place, but they declined to assist the Council in the matter.