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6
I
children, and at least 10 times the number must have
suffered from the attacks, whilst many have even been
permanently injured.
There is too great apathy displayed by a large
section of the community for checking these common,
but virulent, fever poisons (especially by parents, in
not taking more caution against) measles, whooping
cough, scarlet fever, &c., &c. It is a subject for grave
reflection, as to whether sanitary authorities shall not
better enforce the performance of parental duty in
these respects. And the time is at hand when all
patients suffering from contagious malady, will under
certain conditions dangerous to others, have to be
removed by more stringent measures than we now
possess.
The extreme indifference displayed with regard to
these diseases by many of the lower and middle class
is an unmistakable sign of an ignorant belief that they
are natural events ; and such a belief leads to a carelessness
of management much to be condemned. This
indifference to stop disease at the centres of infection,
tends to keep up, as well as to increase the severity of
all epidemics.
The working classes 'generally, visit freely during
sickness, allowing their clothing to become saturated
with contagious poison; and where isolation is ineffective,
and children go to school, it affords means of
spreading measles, whooping cough, and scarlet fever
infection.
It will be seen that out of the 85 cases of diarrhoea,
70 occurred in the summer quarter, and 64 were in
young children mostly under one year of age.