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22
the 252 cases 125 belonged to North Kensington—viz., that
part of the parish north of Uxbridge Road ; and 127 to South
Kensington—the remainder of the parish south of that road.
The cases in the three preceding years respectively were 110,
100, and 465. The disease was epidemic in the latter half of
1887, the cases recorded being 389 against 76 in the first half
of the year. In 1888 the cases in the first six months were
168 against 84 in the second half of the year.
As usual, the occurrence of the disease was concealed in
several instances until recovery had taken place, and the cases
were then reported only for the purpose of obtaining disinfection
at the public expense. In some instances, moreover, when the
existence of the disease became known at an early period,
parents refused to allow their children to be removed to
hospital, these cases, however, being fewer than usual. A
certain number of home patients were, to all appearance, properly
isolated, and the removal of them to hospital was deemed
unnecessary ; but proof was not wanting that, even when the
sufferers had what might be fairly described as " proper
lodging or accommodation," due care could not have been taken
to prevent spread of the disease; unless, indeed, it be the fact
that no amount of care suffices to prevent it from spreading
when once it has found admittance into a family of susceptible
persons. Occasionally when removal was obviously necessary
to security difficulty was experienced in obtaining the parents'
consent, but in no case was recourse had to the compulsory
powers of removal, such as they are, which the Sanitary Act
of 1866 confers. The patients were generally children of school
age. No child was knowingly allowed to go to school from an
infected house. The existence of the disease was revealed
occasionally by the registration of a death, and its spread was
in several instances the result of keeping patients at home under
circumstances that rendered nugatory any attempt at isolation.
It is satisfactory, however, to find less unwillingness, year by