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REPORT
ON AN OUTBREAK OF SCARLET FEVER IN SHOREDITCH DURING
APRIL AND MAY, 1901, ATTRIBUTED TO INFECTED MILK.
To the Chairman and Members of the Public Health Committee
Gentlemen
My remarks respecting this outbreak are confined to Shoreditch, it may however be
stated that the neighbouring Borough of Bethnal Green in the vicinity of the invaded
area in Shoreditch suffered severely. There were also some twenty-four cases of
scarlet fever in the Borough of Finsbury, and two other groups, one in St. Pancras
and the other in Islington, which were traced to the same infected milk supply. The
milk implicated in the outbreak was supplied by a milk contractor who may be
referred to as X. He is in a large way of business, and supplies many milk vendors
in the northern and eastern districts of the metropolis; his milk is obtained from
numerous farms, some of which are situate in the counties of Bucks, Derbyshire and
Staffordshire.
Until April 30th there was no suspicion as to any milk supply being concerned
in the propagation of scarlet fever in Shoreditch, and the enquiries which have been
made afford no ground for believing that any of the cases of scarlet fever certified
prior to April 22nd resulted from infected milk.
During the morning of April 80th, seven certificates were received relating to
cases of scarlet fever at houses situate in the Hackney Road, Basing Place, Weymouth
Terrace, Harwar Street and Hows Street. Consideration of the situation of the
houses invaded and the dates of the notification certificates gave rise to the suspicion