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47
Measles.—There were 24 deaths from this disease during the year,
which is under the average of the last ten years.
Scarlet-Fever.—During the past year 31 of our parishioners died,
either at their own homes or in the Fever Hospitals, from this disease,
which showed itself in greater severity, both in St. George, Bloomsbury,
and St. Giles North, whilst only 3 deaths were reported from it
in St. Giles South.
The disease was very prevalent among the children of persons who
reside over stables, chiefly in the several mews in different parts of the
Sub-Districts of St. George, Bloomsbury, and St. Giles North. I visited
many of these dwellings, in order to ascertain the causes of this excessive
sick-rate.
After careful inspection, I was of opinion that the following were the
probable causes:
1st. Many of the houses have defective through ventilation; the
mews in which they are situate being cul-de-sacs, the current of
air cannot pass through as in streets, which are open at both ends.
2nd. The houses have windows and doors in front only, and no
opening at the back, sides, or top.
3rd. The water supply is mostly from a tank, which is partly or
entirely underground; the pails used by the grooms to obtain water
are dipped into the tank, and the water for domestic purposes is
obtained from the same tank by the same means, and the water for
drinking is contaminated by such an arrangement. In many cases
where the tanks are not underground, they are too close to the watercloset.
4th. Bad smells arise from ill-trapped gulleys in the mews; the
pebble paving holds offensive matter, which evaporates noxious gases.
Robust health is impossible under these conditions.
In May, a little girl was attacked with scarlet fever at the Parochial
Schools, Museum Street, and was removed without delay to Stockwell
Hospital. The rooms and bedding were thoroughly disinfected, and
no other case occurred there.
In July, the Resident Medical Officer of the London Fever Hospital,
wrote to me, complaining that a woman residing in our District had
removed her child from the hospital before the infectious period of
scarlet fever had passed away, or the clothes had been disinfected. I
immediately made inquiries, and reported the facts to your Board, who
ordered proceedings to be taken against the mother, "For wilfully
exposing a patient suffering from an infectious disease." The case
was heard at Bow Street, and the magistrate fined the woman 20s. and
costs.
This case also elicited an important statement from the Medical
Officer of the London Fever Hospital, "that whilst the authorities of
that institution were powerless to detain their patients under such
circumstances, the hospitals under the control of the Asylum Board
had full power to prevent their removal, without an order from the
Medical officer."