THE SMALL-POX EPIDEMIC IN LONDON.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6147, 30 July 1881, Page 7

THE SMALL-POX EPIDEMIC IN LONDON.

The small-pox epidemic in London has now reached dimensions which are naturally giving rise to great popular anxiety. In some districts where the malady is raging most fiercely the fear amounts to positive panic. Certainly there is ground for.alarm. At the present ■time the Metropolitan Districts Asylum Board has nearly 1600 cases under its supervision. All their hospital resources are already used up, and temporary places are being erected with as much' rapidity as possible. Every precaution has 'been taken to secure isolation, and'to remove patients from their homes as soon as the malady manifests itself, but even with these safeguards the progress-of .the disease is positively appalling. Up till Thursday last the epidemic was increasing at the'rate of 150 persons per week, Kut on Friday no fewer than 100 fresh cases were disclosed on that single day. With their hospital accommodationfuUy occupied, and with the disease increasing to.an extent which, renders them unable to meet it by the erection of temporary places, the Asylum Board have placed themselves in communication with the ; Admiralty, who have undertaken to place a warship at their disposal. Twelve vessels had been- designated, but examination by d competent official has brought to light the ; fact that eleven of them are useless.: The other vessel, the Atlas, has been accepted, and she will be immediately; brought from Chatham, : and located, at Halfway Reach, jusfc.below Peptford. In this way, and by ".appropriating some disused workhouses, it'ie hoped the spread of the disease may be somewhat I checked.—-Times. /