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17
The Medical Officer, Dr. Vallance, made a careful investigation as
to the origin of the outbreak, but was unable to find any satisfactory
cause, but he strongly advised that the whole scheme of drainage
should be overhauled. This was eventually done and grave defects
were found. The schools were re-painted, cleansed, etc., and the
drains renovated and modernized.
BETHNAL GREEN SCHOOLS.
This Institution, which contains 523 children, and 40 officials, has
had a large amount of Infectious Disease during the year.
There have been 103 cases of Scarlet Fever, and 6 of Diphtheria,
and of thesis 92 Scarlet Fever and 3 Diphtheria cases were removed to
Homerton Fever Hospital. There were only 2 deaths amongst the
cases removed.
As to the epidemic of Scarlet Fever, I am informed by the Medical
Officer, Dr. Argles, that the disease was at first of such a mild nature,
that nothing whatever was known about it until a genuine case
appeared. It was then found that several children were desquamating,
and they were at once isolated, and after this frequent examinations
of the children were made, and so the disease was checked. No
further outbreak occurred until a case was imported from Hanwell,
and immediate precautions were taken.
ST. AGNES' ORPHANAGE.
This Institution, which contains about 200 boys, has been
remarkably free from sickness during the year. The only point of any
importance was a slight outbreak of Diphtheria which occurred in
November. The disease was imported from the east end of London,
by a new inmate in whom it speedily proved fatal. Six others
were infected, and thri e of the most serious cases were removed to
hospitals outside the District. No further fatality occurred.
During the year the drlinage system has been entirely re-constructed
at considerable expense.
FOREST HOUSE.
This branch of the West Ham Union Workhouse, has, considering
the age of the inmates, been fairly free from sickness. During the
summer months there was a slight outbreak of Epidemic Skin Diseases,
which has of lute years been noticed as attacking the aged and infirm
in Poor Law Infirmaries.
All these cases were transferred to the West Ham Infirmary, as
were all other cases of a serious nature.