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14
Pox, and consequently there were about 120 dead bodies more
than usual taken to the mortuary. This unusually large number
of bodies removed, rendered some additional fittings necessary at
the mortuary, which were provided by your order.
In the early part of January a circular letter was sent to all
Clergymen, Ministers of Religion, Missionaries, Masters of
Schools, Relieving Officers, and also as far as was known to
District Visitors residing in the district, requesting them to
inform me of any cases of infectious disease which might come
under their notice. Another circular letter was sent to all
Medical Practitioners in the district, requesting information of
all cases coming under their notice in which disinfection was not
properly carried out, either through poverty or carelessness, or
where infectious diseases were likely to be intensified by nuisances
or any other local causes. A postal card having my name, with
" Town Hall, Hackney" printed thereon, was enclosed with this
letter circular, and similar postal cards were supplied, as required,
to the Relieving Officers from whom we have received important
information.
As a further precaution, house to house inspections were made
in the infected districts, and nearly 1000 notices for the prevention
of overcrowding were served during November and
December, 1870, and January and February, 1871, and notices
were served to abate overcrowding whenever houses or separate
rooms were found to contain too many inhabitants. During the
epidemic I was frequently called upon late at night and on
Sundays to issue an order for the use of the ambulance for removal
of those affected, and the same happened more frequently still tothe
Chief Inspector. In one of the rooms where I visited, in
oonsequence of a request to order the removal of some of the
inmates, I found four cases in two rooms, two recovering and