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ill. But it was also due in a measure to the fact that the disease
was most prevalent among the lowest classes of the population,
in which there is the greatest degree of ignorance, with consequent
inability to appreciate the advantages afforded by the hospitals.
One hundred and eighty-three of the children attacked had
been in attendance at schools, many of them at St. Clement.s
(Church and Board) Schools, in the Potteries. In my tenth monthly
report, dated October 6th, I had to state that "since the middle
of July ten cases in as many families, in ten houses, in seven
streets, had been notified of children attending St. Clement.s
Board Schools, of whom five only were removed to hospital.
Nineteen cases in fifteen families, in fourteen houses, in ten streets,
had been notified of children attending the St. Clement.s Church
Schools, of whom nine only were removed to hospital, and this
notwithstanding every effort made to promote removal by appeals
to parents, and by communications addressed to persons, who, it
was thought, would be able to bring moral influence to bear on
parents." It was impossible, however, to discover any effects
of such moral influence, if attempted. Happily, however, if
the cases were numerous, the deaths were few.
Hospital Accommodation. — The rapid increase of the
disease at the middle of the year led the Managers of the Asylums
Board to consider whether it might not become necessary to
provide additional accommodation, and on the 12th July, on the
recommendation of the General Purposes Committee, the
Managers resolved :—
(a) That with the view to the immediate provision of additional accommodation
for scarlet-fever patients, the Committee for the
South-western Hospitals be instructed to re-open as soon as possible
the lower of the two Hospitals at Stockwell, for the reception
of fever patients.
(i) That the General Purposes Committee be authorised, if and when they
consider such a step necessary, to instruct the Small-pox Hospital
Committee to fit up, furnish, and open the brick-hut Hospital at
Darenth for the reception of convalescing fever patients, and that
in the meantime the Hospital Committee be empowered to take the
necessary steps for cleansing and disinfecting the hospital furniture,
bedding, etc.