Dr. Parsons's report to the Local Government Board on an outbreak of scarlet fever, with associated diphtheria and sore throat, occurring in the Macclesfield rural and urban sanitary districts in connexion with a particular supply of milk / [H. Franklin Parsons].

  • Parsons, H. Franklin (Henry Franklin), 1846-1913.
Date:
1889
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Dr. Parsons's report to the Local Government Board on an outbreak of scarlet fever, with associated diphtheria and sore throat, occurring in the Macclesfield rural and urban sanitary districts in connexion with a particular supply of milk / [H. Franklin Parsons]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    OFFICIAL COPY. Dr. Parsons’s Report to the Local Government Board on an outbreak of Scarlet Fever, with associated Dipn- theria and Sore Throat, occurring in the Macclesfield Rural and Urban Sanitary districts in connexion wi th a particular supply of Milk. George Buchanan, Medical Department, May 13th, 1889. On February 7th 1889, the Local Government Board received from the Circum_ Macclesfield Rural Sanitary Authority a communication informing them of stances under a severe outbreak of disease which had occurred within the previous ten days which inquiry in the township of Upton in their district. The disease was described as was rnade- “ resembling scarlet fever (especially in children),” but “ accompanied by “ diphtheritic sore throat and symptoms of blood poisoning.” It was stated that the milk supply in all cases had been obtained from the same farm, and that a number of cases of similar character had also occurred in the borough of Macclesfield among people who had obtained their milk from the same source. No sickness among the cattle at the farm or in the farmer’s family had been found. The letter concluded with a request for the assistance of one of the Board’s Inspectors to investigate the outbreak, and was accompanied by a memorial from some of the inhabitants of Upton to the same effect. In compliance with this request I was directed to undertake the duty. On my arrival at Macclesfield on February 11th, I met the officers of the Rural Sanitary Authority, and learning from them that, concurrently with the outbreak in Upton, there had been a large number of cases of scarlet fever in Macclesfield, I requested and obtained from the Board instructions to extend my inquiry to the borough as far as was necessary for an understanding of the outbreak. The township of Upton is a small one, containing, in 1881, 39 inhabited Description houses with 185 inhabitants. It now contains 41 houses and 228 inhabitants, of locality. Most of the houses are on the side next Macclesfield, forming practically a suburb continuous with the borough; they are villas inhabited by private residents and people of the middle class who have business in the town. They are supplied with the town water, but do not drain into the town sewers, the sewage being carried into cesspools or water courses. There are also a few farm houses and cottages. The situation is elevated about 500 feet above the sea level, and the soil is sandy. The part of Macclesfield immediately adjoining Upton is of similar character, but further in the town are streets of smaller houses inhabited by artizans. It is on the side of Macclesfield towards Upton, the west side, that the scarlet fever has mostly occurred ; more distant parts, comprising the older, lower, and poorer parts of the town having almost escaped. LONDON: PRINTED FOR HER MAJESTY’S STATIONERY OFFICE, BY EYRE AND SPOTTISWOODE, PRINTERS TO THE QUEEN’S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY. And to be purchased, either directly or through any Bookseller, from EYRE and SPOTTISWOODE, East Harding Street, Fleet Street, E.C.; oi ADAM and CHARLES BLACK, 6, North Bridge, Edinburgh ; or HODGES, FIGGIS, & Co., 104, Grafton Street, Dublin. U22LLCGME LIBRARY i* General Collections No. 43. 1889. Price Sixpence.