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16
from the wards into the open air. If wire-gauze were spread
over the window openings, as was done by my direction at the
Clapton Hospital in 1871, (to which I attribute much of
the immunity from disease in the neighbourhood,) I believe the
metropolitan hospitals would cease to be so injurious as they
now are. Although I express this adverse opinion to the
prosent hospitals as arranged and conducted, I do not consider
that they should be closed; on the contrary, I believe that they
can be carried on in such a way as to confer much benefit, and
cause little injury to the neighbourhoods in which they are
placed.
I have also to report that every sanitary and other moans
practicable were taken to prevent the spread of the disease.
lie-vaccination of children between 10 and 12 years of age was
ordered by the Board, new stations were opened, and bills were
distributed in the district, giving the necessary information.
Also all persons above 12 years of age who came either to the
ordinary or new stations were re-vaccinated. Letters were sent
to the medical men, ministers of religion, schoolmasters and
others, requesting information as to cases of the disease. Every
house in which the disease appeared was disinfected by the
officers of the Board, and the clothing, beds, &c., were taken to
the disinfecting chamber. Seven hundred and seventy persons
were re-vaccinated in consequence of these arrangements.
In concluding this part of my report, I append a table which
shows that the severe outbreak in Hackney during April, May
and June, corresponded with the time during which the whole
of the cases that occurred on the north side of the Thames,
were brought to the Homerton Hospital for a decision whether
they should be retained there or sent to the ships. It will be
seen that in spite of the severe outbreak in March, the number
of cases removed from Hackney in April, May and June, were
largely in excess in each month to those in March, and that
during these three months no less than 577 of our cases were