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With the exception of the cases previously referred to, no legal
proceedings were taken for the compulsory removal of Small Pox patients ;
the threat to take action was found to be sufficient to cause the necessary
steps to be taken to get the cases away through the relieving officers.
MEASLES.
(Decennial average, 81.9).
This constantly prevalent disease was fatal to 31 children and 3 young
persons, a total of 34; the smallest number, with the exception of 1878,
for the past ten years.
SCARLATINA.
(Decennial average, 123).
Scarlet Fever and its sequela) caused 114 deaths, 76 of which were
amongst young children. A large number of these deaths happenod in
November, and in the week ending the 15th of that month there were
no less than 11 deaths. These fatal cases, and fourteen other non-fatal
ones, were all amongst young children, either pupils of the Wilmot street
Board School,* or members of families some one of which had been attending
the school. Under these circumstances I felt it my duty to advise
the Sanitary Committee to strongly urge upon the School Board the
advisability of closing Wilmot street Schools. A letter to this effect was
accordingly written by Mr. Yoss, but the authorities declined to accede
to our request, as they did not consider the epidemic sufficiently severe
to necessitate such a measure.
Cautionary bills were printed and distributed throughout the Waterlow
buildings, and the following letter was written to the School Board: —
The Vestry Hall, Church Row,
Bethnal Green, E.
Sir,— We have this week received information of 25 cases of Scarlet Fever amongst
children, some members of whose families have been attending the Wilmot street Board
School, and the majority of whom reside in the buildings of the Improved Industrial
Dwellings Company. It is, I believe, the custom of the Visitors to prohibit the attendance
at School of any child in whose family infectious disease exists, and I think it my
duty to advise, in the case of inhabitants of the Industrial Dwellings, that this prohibition
should be extended to the whole block in which a single case of the disease exists, as each
has one staircase common to the whole of the tenements, and should, for sanitary purposes,
be considered as one house.
Trusting you will give this matter your earliest consideration,
I remain, yours obediently,
GEORGE P. BATE.
* This School provides accommodation for 1687 children.