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37
others in the streets, but proof could not be obtained. The father, a professional
man, followed his usual avocation during the continuance of the
illness in his family.
In June the illness of a servant in South Kensington was traced to a
house in the northern part of the parish where her mother was found to have
the scabs of small-pox on her face. Secondary cases were found in four houses
during this month. One of the cases proved fatal—it was that of a professional
man ; the primary case was slight and unrecognised.
In July a Kensington case—a servant—was removed from Falham. The
mistress, suspecting the nature of the girl's illness, had sent her home !
In August the nature of two cases of illness in one family was not
recognised until, 011 a third case occurring, a second doctor was called in, when
all three persons were found to be suffering from small-pox. I n another house
there were four almost simultaneous cases in three families, the common origin
of which could not be traced.
In September three children in one family were infected by their mother,
the nature of whose illness had not been suspected.
The two last recorded cases in 1885 occurred in October, on
the 5th and 17th, and in North and South Kensington respectively.
Both were imported. At the present writing (May) the parish is
quite free from the disease, and indeed one case only—in January,
has been so far recorded in 1886, viz., that of a laundress
constantly employed at a " cleansing establishment" in another
parish. The Metropolis, as a whole, has been singularly free from
the disease—a fact which probably may be in large part explained
by the new practice of the Asylums Board in removing the side
out of London to the Hospital Ships.
HOSPITAL ACCOMMODATION.
In my reports for 1882, 3, 4, I referred fully to the recommendations
of the lioyal Commission with regard to the provision
of hospital accommodation for the infectious sick, arid generally
for dealing with epidemic diseases in the Metropolis. It only
remains now to say that in regard to small-pox hospital accommodation,
little progress has been made during the past year.
The "Atlas," the " Castalia," and the " Endymion " Hospital
Ships have been in constant use. The Camp at Darentli, as
on former occasions, served an excellent purpose, not merely by