View report page

10
The health of the Workhouse-population has been
generally good. But four cases of severe epidemic
disease have originated within its walls. An outbreak
of Diarrhoea, however, which attacked 15 persons, all
in the men's surgery, occurred in the beginning of
July. It was promptly met by Mr. Clark and arrested.
In Table III. the causes of Deaths in the Workhouses
of Shoreditch and St. Luke's are set forth separately.
In Table IV. the total Deaths and Births are given
for each of the six Registration Sub-Districts.
Table V. represents a summary of the new cases
of Sickness coming under the care of the Poor-Law
Medical Officers. It shows that these gentlemen have
attended an aggregate of 3580 patients on orders from
the Relieving Officers. Of these there were 1101 cases
of Diarrhœa. But this does not include all that fell
to their care. During the height of the epidemic
several hundred patients were supplied with medicine
without orders, by which means it is certain that many
cases were prevented from passing into more serious
forms, and entailing a greater burthen on the rates.
No case of Small-Pox has been forwarded to the
Small Pox Hospital during the quarter. Nevertheless there
have been indications of a tendency in this disease to
spread. Mr. Collier called my attention to the prevalence