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death occurred. Not long before the death from, "febris rubra," there had been
another death in the house from " measles; pneumonia," and as this very infectious
disease "measles" did not spread, we may reasonably surmise that the supposed
measles was really scarlet fever.
The following cases are instructive:—
At a house in Talbot Grove a child—member of a family of six persons occupying
the basement—was attacked with scarlet fever on or about September 11th, and
the case was concealed until after two other children in the same family fell ill on
the 1st and 2nd October respectively. These three children were removed to hospital
October 5th. On this day a child—member of a family of five persons occupying
the parlour floor—was seized, but the parents refused to allow her to be
removed to hospital. On the 6th and 7th October two children in a
third family of nine persons occupying the first floor fell ill, and they were
removed to hospital on the 12 th. A married woman—member of a family of
six persons occupying the top floor—was stricken on the 17th October, and she
refused to go to hospital. Her infant fell ill on or about the 19th, and died on the
22nd, the case having been concealed until after the registration of the death. On
the 8th of November a youth of 17—member of the third family (first floor), was
attacked, and he died on the 19th. This youth had been employed all the time
the disease was in the house by a family near Notting Hill High Street ;
and in this family two children fell ill of scarlet fever on the 28th and 29th
September respectively. It is an open question whether the lad conveyed the
disease to these children in his clothing, living as he did in an infected house, or
whether he contracted the malady from the children or from sick people in the
house where he lived ?
At a house in Lancaster Road the disease continued many weeks, the parents
refusing to allow removal of the children to hospital. The first four cases in one
family, between the 11th and the 25th August, were concealed. There was an
interval of one week between the first and the second ease, quite long enough for
preventive measures. The fifth and sixth cases were in another family, and the
sixth case was the fatal one. A woman, who lived at Blechyenden Street, was in
the habit of visiting at this house frequently, and the children of the two families
played together. The result was the illness of three children of the family in
Blechynden Street and the death of one of them. The existence of the outbreak
in the latter family was revealed only on the registration of the death of the
third and last case.
At Oxford Mews there was an outbreak—four cases in one family. The interval
between the first and second cases was 24 days. Six days after the second case
the third began, and it proved fatal. A fourth case, of an adult, occurred ten days
subsequently. The parents refused to let the children go to hospital.
On the 6th October, a case of scarlet fever was reported at a house in Albion
Place. The mother denied the truth of the report. Visitation in the street,
same day, led to discovery of two cases at adjoining houses, and nine days
later a second case was discovered in one of these houses. The house first