Mr. John Spear's report to the Local Government Board upon a re-inspection of the registration sub-district of Dartford, and upon the continued prevalence in the district of diphtheria / [John Spear].

  • Spear, John.
Date:
[1884]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Mr. John Spear's report to the Local Government Board upon a re-inspection of the registration sub-district of Dartford, and upon the continued prevalence in the district of diphtheria / [John Spear]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Table 2.—Cases of Diphtheria, Croup, and Scarlatina, in the Rural Division of the Dartford Registration Sub-District, 1883.* 1’AEiSH. Population.! Diphtheria. Croup. Scarlatina. Cases. Deaths. Cases. Deaths. Cases. Deaths. 4th Division _A_ ''Swanscombe - 3,996 19 8 6 6 12 6 JStone - 2,036 9 3 1 i 1 2 — 3rd Division 'Wilmington ... 1,388 — — — — Daren th - 735 3 3 — — — ^Sutton - 2,069 26 5 1 — 12 — Totals - 10,224 56 19 8 7 26 6 | Excluding public institutions. These cases of diphtheria were the result of several small outbreaks; the latter widely separated, occurring at different periods of the year, occasionally involving only a single family, and frequently having no discoverable origin in earlier cases. It was noticed, however, that the disease invaded localities previously infected; and such localities always showed many and grave sanitary defects such as lie within the power of a Sanitary Authority to remove. Botany Bay is one of these places. It comprises a collection of some 65 houses, standing on the border of the parish of Swanscombe, in a hollow that divides this rural district from the neighbouring urban one of Northfleet. The site consists of gravel upon chalk, and, lying very low, water stands not far from the surface. In close proximity to the houses the ground is being riddled with cesspools (the sole pro¬ vision for excrement and slop-water removal), for as one fills up, another hole is dug to take the overflow. Several such supplementary cesspools, the original ones remain¬ ing, have been provided within the last twelve months; and they are constructed with the intention that their contents shall, as far as possible, soak away. In the midst of them, and surrounded by all sorts of surface filth (I heard of drains that had been choked for six months) are sunk the wells that supply the inhabitants with water for all purposes; analysis of this water is said to have given satisfactory results, but the inhabitants speak of it as often obviously polluted with slops and sewage. The water of the Kent Company could it appears be readily obtained. This little place attracted attention at the time of my inspection in 1882 owing to the fatality suffered from diphtheria, fever, &o. ; and during 1883 there occurred imongst its 300 inhabitants three deaths from diphtheria, two from croup, and three from scarlatina. The old village of Swanscombe, and the new localities adjoining it known as Kew Town and Galley Hill, stand on the ridge overlooking Botany Bay, about half a mile * there is no doubt that the nomenclature of these throat affections is largely determined by the accident of medical attendance. Thus, the deaths in the Swanscombe Division were certified by the several medical practitioners as follows :— Dr. A. Dr. B. Dr. C. Dr. D. Dr. E. Diphtheria ... 6 31 2 — — Croup ..... — 1 — 5 1 + All certified “ diphtheria and croup.”