View report page

77
isolation of this disease. In all the 152 cases reported a most
careful system of disinfection was carried out by your Inspectors.
It may fairly be estimated that there were about 740 persons
attacked by the disease in this district last year, while there were
only 152 cases reported. It must be evident, under such circumstances,
that the measures adopted by your Board, although they
were complete as far as they went, nevertheless, could not be
effectual in stamping out the disease.
Diphtheria.
Of the 5 deaths from diphtheria, there were three in the parish
of Fulham and 2 in the parish of Hammersmith, against 10
cases registered the previous year, of which there were 4 in the
parish of Fulham and 6 in the parish of Hammersmith. None
of these cases were reported till after death. Careful enquiries
were made in each case, but the origin of the outbreak was not
discovered. In no case was evidence obtained that a second
person contracted the disease in the same house. It is not unlikely,
therefore, that some of these cases were not true
diphtheria, as true diphtheria is a most contagious disease.
Whooping Cough.
Of the 128 deaths registered from whooping cough, there
were 46 in the parish of Fulham and 82 in the parish of Hammersmith,
against 71 deaths registered during the previousyear, of
which there were 31 in the parish of Fulham and 40 in the
parish of Hammersmith. With the exception of diarrhoea,
whooping cough was the zymotic disease from which the greatest
number of deaths were registered in London last year, there
being 3438 fatal cases. In this district, also, it was the
complaint from which the second largest number of deaths was
registered, diarrhoea, as usual, representing the greatest number.
It is greatly to be regretted that a more perfect system of isolation
in the treatment of whooping cough is not adopted. Most
persons look upon the disease as a necessary evil, and take no
precautions to prevent it from spreading. Besides the enormous
number of deaths registered from the disease annually, there is
a large number of children whose constitutions are injured
through an attack of the disease. With a proper system of
isolation adopted a large amount of the disease would never
occur.
Typhus Fever.
Of the 3 deaths registered as typhus fever, there were 2 in the
parish of Fulham and 1 in the parish of Hammersmith, against