The Diphtheria Outbreak of 1896 .... part 4
The next meeting of the Rural District Council received a report from the District's Medical Officer. The details of the meeting were published in the East Kent Gazette of the 8th of August.
THE OUTBREAK OF DIPHTHERIA AT HARTLIP
Mr Locke took the place of vice-chair
The following report was submitted by the MEDICAL OFFICER (Dr H. G. Sutton):-
“July 16th – Hartlip School – I have received a very long and elaborate report from the managers of this school as to the rain water tank under the floor of the class-room. When I paid a visit to this place on the 6th instant, with the Inspector, the water drawn by the pump was atrociously foul, but the tank has now been cleaned out, and the builder has found that no overflow pipe is connected with any sewer, therefore I do not think this has anything to do with the late outbreak of diphtheria. Sore throat, or modified diphtheria, had been present in this parish for weeks past, and this was fomented by school attendance. Since the closure of the schools the notifications have fallen off.
I have made another visit to this locality and inspected the three dairies, but everything was in good sanitary order. All the sick have been removed to the isolation hospital and the dwellings fumigated and disinfected.
“August 4th – Rainham, - I am happy to state that, since the closure of these schools, notifications of diphtheria have entirely ceased up to this date.
Mr COZENS facetiously remarked that there had been a Sunday school treat at Halstow, but he did not know whether the case of diphtheria there could be traced to that.
With reference to Hartlip, Mr Grant reported that, with one slight exception, the sanitary improvements required to various dwellings in the parish had been completed. The overflow drain from the tank under the school floor was found to be satisfactory and the school premises in a cleanly condition.
In all three children from Hartlip died of the disease in this outbreak. Albert Boakes, who was the first to go to hospital, died on the 7th of July. Albert lived in Pope’s Hall Cottages opposite the vicarage. He was four years old. His mother and a brother and sister (Nellie) are shown in the photo. Neither of the children knew Albert, being born after his death.
Margery Harris died on the 10th at the age of 6. She also lived in Pope’s Hall Cottages. Lilian Black died at the age of 5 on the 18th of July. It is not known where she lived.
On Monday the 12th of October Mr. Labrum wrote in the school log, “Re-opened school today after having been closed for 14 weeks.”
Nellie Boakes, whose picture is shown, did not totally escape diphtheria. Much later, on the 4th of November 1920, Mr. Labrum noted in the School log book:
“Owing to an outbreak of Diphtheria at Pope’s Hall Cottage, I am excluding Nellie Boakes pending instructions from Dr Greenwood. Emily and Norah Philpot are also being excluded owing to the fact that Nellie Boakes was taken to the home of the Philpots on the evening of the 4th inst and slept in the same bed that night at these two children.”
Nellie Boakes did not die of diphtheria but lived to an old age.