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51
provide sufficient hospital accommodation for the small pox cases,
and suggested that the Vestry should provide additionally for its
own Parish. That suggestion your Medical Officer could not
support until it was made clear that the Metropolitan Asylums
Board were unable to meet the public want.
Later on, when the epidemic had assumed larger proportions,
the Board increased the hospital accommodation, and received
all cases from Shoreditch; but as the epidemic still continued
to increase, it was apprehended that the Asylum's means for
isolation might be inadequate, therefore the Vestry arranged to
have twelve beds in the hospital erected at West Ham, by the
Poplar Sanitary Authority. Fortunately these beds have not
been required, as the epidemic has much diminished. They
may, however, be of service in the coming winter.
The Disinfecting Apparatus has continued to work well. 2,723
articles were disinfected in it during the year, including 402
infected beds.
391 houses, in which there had been contagious disease, were
disinfected by sulphur fumigation, cleansing, and the rooms freely
exposed to the open air.
REMOVAL OF DUST, AND CLEANSING OF
STREETS.— Inspector Fletcher's report shews that the Contractors
have done their work according to their engagements, except in the
month of March, when the removal of dust was much impeded.
That too much dust is accumulated on premises cannot be denied,
and the system of removal is open to improvement.
The streets, during the past three years, have been better
attended to.
I am, Gentlemen,
Your obedient Servant,
H. G. SUTTON,
Medical Officer of Health.