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41
near the surface. It invades those houses that have cellars, and is
demonstrated by the brisk activity of the once famous spring on
the Common near to Ranelagh Gardens. It is hard to see what
remedy there can be unless either improvement in the weather or
a system of under drainage be arranged for. When, as at the
moment of writing, there is such a rise following wet seasons, there
are always many cases of simple tonsillitis, and the manner in
which an outbreak of diphtheria may occur is obvious.
Since the outbreak, or rather, series of cases, in the first part
of 1910, the Green Schools have been thoroughly overhauled, and
impervious floorings of wood on a concrete base have been laid
down in certain classrooms formerly without them. Considerable
alteration has been made in other respects, and no more cases
have occurred.
There were sixteen cases of erysipelas notified during 1910.
Two proved fatal. Forty-nine cases of scarlet fever were
notified, twenty-five from Barnes, and twenty-four from Mortlake.
There were no deaths. Thirty-eight cases were treated in
hospital.
During 1910 it was found that two children living in Mortlake
were in attendance at a public elementary school at Richmond
whilst peeling from scarlet fever. The parent was prosecuted at
Richmond for causing the children to be exposed whilst in an
infective condition, and at Mortlake, for not having notified the
fact that they were suffering from scarlet fever. Both prosecutions
were successful, and penalties were imposed.
One case of enteric fever, or typhoid, was notified and admitted
to hospital. The sequel shewed the case to be clearly one of tuberculosis,
although the diagnosis and admisson were fully warranted
by the early clinical course, and the result of application of
the Widal test.