Dr. Blaxall's report to the Local Government Board upon an outbreak of diphtheria at Berkhampstead, Herts, and upon the sewerage of the town / [F.H. Blaxall].

  • Blaxall, F. H.
Date:
1890
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Dr. Blaxall's report to the Local Government Board upon an outbreak of diphtheria at Berkhampstead, Herts, and upon the sewerage of the town / [F.H. Blaxall]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    OFFICIAL COPY. Dr. Blaxall’s Report to the Local Government Board upon an Outbreak of Diphtheria at Berkhampstead, Herts, and upon the Sewerage of the Town. George Buchanan, Medical Department, April 1st,. 18y0. This inquiry was instituted in consequence of the Board having received information of an outbreak of diphtheria at Berkhampstead, affecting specially the Grammar School. It was supposed to be in some way related to defective sewerage. Berkhampstead is a small town situated in the Berkhampstead rural sani¬ tary district, under the jurisdiction of the Berkhampstead Rural Sanitary Authority. They have appointed a parochial committee to act for them in the town under the Public Health Act, 1875, section 202. The population is estimated at 5,500 persons. The town stands on the chalk formation. The principal street (High Street) running from N.W. to S.Eu is about a mile in length, somewhat undulating, and intersected by several smaller streets. The Grand Junction Canal lies on the N. of the town, and between this and High Street flows the Bulbourne stream, running almost parallel to High Street but at a lower level, and entering the canal at the east end of the town. King Edward’s Grammar School stands in Castle Street, near the centre of the town, between High Street and the stream. The strength of the school is about 190 boys, of whom 98 are boarders, and the rest day scholars. The boarders reside in three separate houses, 64 living in the school-house in Castle Street with the head master, the Rev. T. C. Fry ; and 19 and 15 respec¬ tively in two boarding-houses in High Street kept by assistant masters, Messrs. Fricker and Gowring. Of the 92 day boys, 58 reside in the town and 34 in the surrounding neighbourhood, coming in daily by train to attend school. I commenced my inquiry at Berkhampstead on February 1st, when I placed myself in communication with Dr. Thompson, Medical Officer of Health, and the several medical practitioners of the town, who kindly supplied me with information respecting the several cases of throat illness that had come under their observation from September to December last inclusive. The teachers of the board and national schools likewise furnished me with the names of children who had absented themselves from school during the same period on account of sickness. I did not hear of the presence of any throat illness in the town prior to September 18th. This was the date of the re-assembling of the Grammar School. LONDON: PRINTED FOR HER MAJESTY’S STATIONERY OFFICE, BY EYRE AND SPOTTISWOODE, PRINTERS TO THE QUEEN’S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTT. ■ And to be purchased, either directly or through any Bookseller, from EYRE and SPOTTISWOODE, East Harding Street, Fleet Street, E.C.; or „BHARY ADAM and CHARLES BLACK, 6, North Bridge, Edinburgh; or - Collection* HODGES, FIGGIS, & Co., 104, Grafton Street, Dublin. +P 1890. Price Threepence. No. 52 m .M