Dr. Blaxall's report to the Local Government Board on the prevalence of diphtheria in the rural sanitary district of Kingsclere, Hants / [F.H. Blaxall].

  • Blaxall, F. H.
Date:
[1884]
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Dr. Blaxall's report to the Local Government Board on the prevalence of diphtheria in the rural sanitary district of Kingsclere, Hants / [F.H. Blaxall]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    •(jgLIC S Dr. Blaxall’s Report to the Local Government Board oil the prevalence of Diphtheria in the Rural Sanitary District of Kingsclere, Hants. it WELLCOME LIBRARY Geaerai Collections +P George Buchanan, Medical Department, May 15, 1884. I Uo The Local Government Board, having observed by the Registrar-General’s Returns of mortality for the September quarter of 1883 that nine deaths had resulted from diphtheria in the rural sanitary district of Kingsclere (viz. seven in the Kingsclere sub-district, and two in the Highclere sub-district), wrote to the authority for particulars concerning the said mortality. In reply they received a report from the Medical Officer of Health in which he attributed the origin of the outbreak to impure water and milk, but omitted to state his grounds for this opinion. Subsequently, in pursuance of instruc¬ tions from the Board, I proceeded to Kingclere to institute inquiry into the circumstances connected with the prevalence of the disease. Upon arrival I placed myself in communication with Dr. Thomson, medical officer of health, and Mr. Maples, medical practitioner at Kingsclere who is in partnership with Mr. Edwards, parochial medical officer; Mr. Edwards was absent at the time of my visit. I learned from them that the presence of diphtheria had been recognised in five separate localities, viz., Ashford Hill, at the north-east part of the district; Headley Common, two miles to the west of Ashford Hill; East Woodhay, at the extreme north-west of the district, and eight or 10 miles from Headley Common and Ashford Hill. These three localities were invaded within a short time of each other, the principal outbreak occurring at Ashford Hill. Later on, two isolated cases occurred, one in a solitary cottage at North- wood, about three quarters of a mile from Kingsclere, the other in a small farmhouse at Burghclere, away from the other infected localities. The rural sanitary district of Kingsclere, covering an area of 45,507 acres, forms part of the northern border of Hants. It adjoins the rural sanitary districts of Hungerford, Newbury, and Bradfield in Berkshire; Andover, Whitchurch, and Basingstone in Hampshire ; it is purely an agricultural district. The physical features present considerable diversity, embracing hill and valley, woodland, and grassy slopes, while the geological formation includes green sandstone, chalk, Woolwich and Reading beds, London clay, and Lower Bagshot beds. In 1881 the population was enumerated at 8,524 persons. The labouring class are chiefly employed in agricultural pursuits. The infected localities of Ashford Hill and Headley Common are both in the parish of Kingsclere, and comprise several clusters of houses variously known as Ashford Hill, Hawkhurst Hill, Axmansford, Wheathold, Plaistow Green, Headley Common, Mill Green, &c., besides several single and semi¬ detached dwellings, covering an area of about six or eight square miles. East Woodhay is sparsely peopled, the dwellings stand singly or in groups, as for example at North End, where Lady Howard’s infant school is situated. Owing to the scattered character of the population of these several localities the distances at which the children live from the schools vary from a few yards to some two miles. Ground of inquiry. Localities invaded with diphtheria. General description. Geology. LONDON : Printed for Her Majesty's Stationery Office: AND SOLD BY KNIGHT & Co., 90, Fleet Street; SHAW & SONS, Fetter Lane; HADDEN, BEST, & Co., West Harding Street, Fetter Lane; P. S. KING & SON, Canada Buildings, King Street, S.W. Price Sixpence. A k12024. 200.—6/84. Wt. 39. E. & S.