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time on April 20th, at premises in Scrutton Street, where the hair had been deposited
for a short time for examination, pending dispatch to a firm in an adjoining district.
The deceased fell ill about midday on the 20th whilst at work. The same night a
spot was noticed behind his right ear. He was attended at home until the 23rd,
when he was taken to the Metropolitan Hospital, where he died on April 25th. This
case was associated with the occurrence of two others elsewhere, in all probability
due to the same source of infection. The Home Office Authorities and the Medical
Officer of Health of the district concerned were communicated with and the necessary
steps were taken as regards disinfection. Altogether, five cases of anthrax were
notified in London during the year.
PNEUMONIA, MALARIA AND DYSENTERY.
The cases certified under the 1919 Regulations were 219 of acute primary and
28 of influenzal pneumonia, and 2 cases of malaria.
The cases of pneumonia investigated numbered 234, which included some not
certified. Of these, 161 were treated in St. Leonard's Hospital, 24 in other hospitals,
32 were nursed at home without, and 17 with, the help of the District Nursing
Association. In 156 of the dwellings occupied 52 were reported as being satisfactory
with respect to air space, light and ventilation, in 29 the conditions were fair, and
in 75 they were unsatisfactory.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES AND SCHOOLS.
The numbers of children belonging to Shoreditch who were suffering from
infectious diseases or were resident in houses in which infectious diseases existed
concerning whom intimations of exclusion from school were received from head
teachers in accordance with the requirements of the School Management Code of
the London County Council were as follows :—2 for smallpox, 4 for enteric fever,
469 diphtheria, 575 scarlet fever, 1,229 measles, 724 chicken-pox, 288 whooping
cough, 330 mumps and 894 for other infectious ailments. Altogether the exclusions
numbered 4,515, and related to 40 schools.
Information was also received from the School Medical Officer respecting three
children excluded from school on account of the presence of diphtheria bacilli
in their noses or throats. No cases were subsequently notified in the families to
which they belonged.
BACTERIOLOGICAL EXAMINATIONS.
During the year some 549 examinations were made by Dr. J. Andrew, Pathologist,
Metropolitan Hospital. Of these 293 were for suspected diphtheria, 9 for enteric
fever, 218 for tuberculosis and 6 for gonorrhoea. Nineteen Wassermann tests
were made, and 3 samples of urine were also examined. A sample of fur was also
subjected to examination. Positive results were obtained in 62 of the examinations
for diphtheria, 42 of those for tubercle bacilli, 1 for enteric fever and in 12 of the
Wassermann tests.