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17
ZYMOTIC DISEASES.
scarlet fever.
This disease continues to make itself well known in the
district, 108 cases being reported as against 66 in 1895. By far
the largest number of cases came from Child's Hill district, 45
being notified from this quarter; Mill Hill came next with 20
cases; West Hendon 15; Hendon Central 13; Temple Fortune
7; Cricklewood 7; and the Infirmary 1. Fifty-nine of these cases
were removed to the Infectious Diseases Hospital. Owing to two
rather sudden outbreaks it was found impossible to accommodate
all the patients in the Hospital which required removal and hence
the question of enlargement of the present hospital was forcibly
brought before you, and I am thankful to say this has since
been done.
Scarlet Fever in Mill Hill Ward.—Unfortunately this
district, usually so free from infectious disease, was visited in the
early part of the year with an outbreak. Twenty cases in all
occurred during the year. In January a young girl returned
home from service in Finchley and developed this disease; she
lived at Burton Hole and was isolated at home. From the middle
of February to the end of the month 16 cases were reported to
me. The epidemic was of a very mild type. On enquiries being
made I found that nearly every case attended a small free school
attached to St. Margaret's Home. I visited and examined all the
children, and found one child full out with a typical Scarlet Fever
rash and sore throat. I sent her home, and on visiting the
house found another child covered with desquamation from Scarlet
Fever who had also been attending at the school. The mother,
on being questioned, was entirely ignorant of anything having
been the matter with her children. 1 immediately ordered the
school to be closed. It is most unfortunate that (he cases were
not discovered earlier, but the disease being so mild, the parents in
several instances called in no doctor at all. Only one or two
other cases occurred during the rest of the year; they were isolated
at home. Seven cases from this district were removed to the
Hospital.