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93
moval. The accommodation, in many of these cases was not
sufficient for the effectual isolation of the patients, but was not so
bad that a magistrate's order could be obtained to enforce the
removal. Forty patients were removed to hospitals and properly
isolated ; 38 were taken by your Board, 37 to the Metropolitan
Asylum Fever Hospital at Stockwell, one to the Islington Fever
Hospital. Two cases were removed by the Fulham Board of
Guardians to the Metropolitan Asylum Fever Hospital at Stockwell.
In all of the cases reported a most careful system of
disinfection was carried out by your Inspector. We may estimate,
from the number of deaths registered, that there were
about 1,300 persons attacked by the disease in this district last
year, so when we consider that there were only 228 cases
reported, it is not surprising that the disease continues to spread,
notwithstanding the measures adopted by your Board. It is
greatly to be hoped that an Act of Parliament will soon be
passed requiring all these cases to be immediately reported to
the sanitary authority of each district where they occur.
Diphtheria.
Of the 21 deaths from diphtheria, there were 10 in the parish
of Fulham and 11 in the parish of Hammersmith, against five
cases registered in the previous year, of which there were three
in the parish of Fulham and two in the parish of Hammersmith.
None of these cases were known of till after the death of the
patients. In all these cases the sanitary condition of the dwellings
in which the deceaseds had resided was strictly inquired into,
but in most cases no cause of the outbreak was discoverable
A large number of deaths that are registered as from diphtheria
are from other causes, the throat affection being only a symptom
of some other complaint.
Whooping Cough.
Only 39 deaths from whooping cough were registered last year,
six in the parish of Fulham and 33 in the parish of Hammersmith,
against 128 deaths registered during the previous year, of
which there were 46 in the parish of Fulham and 82 in the
parish of Hammersmith. It is curious to observe the comparative
decrease in the number of deaths from this disease, not only in
this district, but in the whole of London. There were only
1961 deaths from whooping cough in all London last year,
against 3438 the previous year. The epidemic influence, which
was so favourable to the prevalence of smallpox, seems to have