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24
(5) Edward Molvey, of 91, Shandy Street, was removed to the Fever
Hospital on October 17th suffering from Diphtheria. He was discharged on
October 25th. On October 26th, he was notified to be suffering from Scarlet
Fever, and was removed to the Fever Hospital on the same day. The Medical
Superintendent stated, that the patient appeared to have been exposed to the
risk of Scarlet Fever, during his first detention at the Hospital.
It used to be considered that patients when peeling are still in an infectious
condition, but the general opinion at present among Medical Officers
at Fever Hospitals is that the peeling is not infective.
The discharge from the nose and ears, are undoubtedly infective agents.
Such discharge may, or may not, be present when the patient is removed from
the Hospital, but may occur later, having been induced by a cold caught on
the way home. In these cases, it is supposed that the patient coming from
an infectious ward has present in his mouth, throat and nasal passages, the
specific organism, which, when the patient "catches cold," is slied on to the
clothes, utensils and handkerchiefs. The organism, moreover, finds in the
discharge the food and moisture requisite for growth and propagation.
At one time the patients used to have a warm bath in the Hospital
shortly before their discharge. This bath is now given the day before their
discharge, and this possibly accounts for the great decrease in return cases
during the last two or three years.
The issue of a special warning card on the day of the patient's dismissal
from Hospital, advising the parents to consult a medical man immediately
on the appearance of a discharge from the nose or ears, within a certain time
after returning home, may be followed with good results.
Phthisis.
482 deaths occurred during the year from Phthisis. This corresponds to
a death-rate of 1.56 per 1,000 of the population. The death-rate for the
whole of London was 1.40 per 1,000.
98 belonged to the Limehouse District, or at the rate of 1.66 per
1,000.
90 belonged to the St. George's District, or at the rate of 1.72 per
1,000.
141 belonged to the Mile End District, or at the rate of 1.19 per
1,000.
153 belonged to the Whitechapel District, or at the rate of 1.89 per
1,000.