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97
Small-pox Patients.—Reference is made to the tendency
of Small-pox,in 1892, to invade and re-establish itselfin London,
after seven years of freedom from epidemic prevalence. Cases
to the number of 78 were removed in March and April, from
20 out of the 30 Poor Law Districts, the greater number
coming from Shoreditch, Bethnal Green, and Whitechapel. In
May, the removals were 99, including 35 from Shoreditch and
15 from Bethnal Green. The admissions fell to 44 in June ;
a considerable further reduction took place in July, and all
fears of an epidemic then subsided. This "happy result,"
attributed " to the united exertions of the Managers and the
Sanitary Authorities," would probably not have been attained
had not compulsory notification been in practice. Sporadic
cases continued to occur throughout the remainder of the year.
There were 19 in November, and the number rose to 40 in
December (from 17 different districts) nine of them being from
Salvation Army Shelters and Casual Wards. The indication
at the close of the year was that " great care and
watchfulness " would be necessary, in the early months of the
current year, "if the onset of the disease was to be again successfully
met."
Fever Patients.—At the commencement of the year there
were 1,841 patients in the Managers' Hospitals, a less number
by 84 than that at the beginning of 1891. The minimum for
the year (1,438), was touched on the 5th March. The numbers
increased slowly to 1,542 on the 17th April, and then
somewhat rapidly to 1,798 on the 14th May. At this time it
became manifest to the Committee that there were indications
of an urgent need of additional accommodation for scarlet
fever cases, it being evident, as they warned the Board, that at
the then rate of increase—187 patients weekly—the existing
vacant beds would be filled by the end of July, "a date which
experience has shown is usually the commencement of the
scarlet fever season." The Managers thereupon set about
providing additional accommodation by an increase of the
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