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49
and from that time onwards during the remainder of the
year several other cases of the same disease were admitted
from the same neighbourhood into the Fever Hospital and
into the German Hospital. Almost all of the patients
were Polish Jews, and most of them were attacked shortly
after their arrival in London. The disease was obviously
imported into London by emigrants from infected localities
abroad.
In March, 1869, another Polish Jew, suffering from
relapsing fever, was admitted from Whitechapel into the
German Hospital; and by May it became evident that the
disease was spreading from its original seat to other parts
of London. Between March and the 31st of August, 39
cases were received into different Metropolitan Hospitals;
and between 1st September and 15th October, 104 more.
The above facts are extracted from a memorandum
issued by the Medical Officer of the Privy Council on the
23rd October: which I read to the Vestry at its next
ensuing meeting.
The memorandum showed also that between March and
the 31st August one case of relapsing fever had been sent
from the Camberwell Workhouse to the Fever Hospital;
and that between the latter date and the 15th October,
4 more cases had been transferred thither from our parish
The well-founded fear that a serious epidemic of relapsing
fever was impending, and the fact that scarlet fever
was actually at the same time manifesting a very marked
tendency, not only in Camberwell, but throughout London,
to become unusually prevalent and severe, induced the
Vestry to instruct me to put myself in communication with