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doub t as to the nature of the affection whi ch had existed
in the three first cases, in the opinions of the medical
attendants . A direct communication between the two first
and the fourth individual was traced out . In this year
a case here and there is constantly coming under treatment
. • . . I have traced communication, however, between patients
attaCked, though living far apart in the city.
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As
a sanitarian, Hall was particularly interested in Typhoid Fever, to
which disease he paid considerab le attention in his paper, describing in
detail the epidemic of 1839-40 amongst the convicts andits introduction
by the "Persian" in 1857.
In most of these epidemics Hall stressed the
high incidence of deaths in the Orphan Schools .
1854 Measles
Hobarton District - 44 deaths - of these 27 in the Orphan Schoo l.
1861 Meas les
Hobarton District - 55 deaths - of these 13 in the Orphan School.
1843 Scarlatina
Hobarton District 43 deaths - of these 18 in the Orphan School .
1853 Scarlatina
Hobarton District 230 deaths - Orphan School spared owing to
strict quaran tine.
1855 Whooping Coush
Hobarton District - 31 deaths - of these 7 in the Orphan School .
In view of the opposition he had always
en countered to his health and
sanitary reforms , Hal l, rightly enough , referred to his own work :
No official tables of the "causes" of death have ever been
compi led; and, until 1855, when I exerted mys elf to improve
the study of vital statistics , the information given was
meagre and of little value. I have for many years compi led
every month a 'health report' for the Hobarton Registration
District, arranging the particulars in conformity with the
nosology and classification agreed upon at the International
Statistical Congress held in Paris in 1855, and analysing the
details in connection with the meteorological phenomena.
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In discussing his efforts to bring about reform he was matter-of-fact and
hopeful of further improvement. Of the Orphan School, he wrote :
So far this year (October 23rd) no deaths have occurred in the
institution . The death rate for chi ldren of the same ages
and numb er in country districts is less than three per annum.
I have therefore some fruits to
show as the result of my
persevering endeavor for many years past to reform the
sanitary condition of this interesting char ity, notwithstanding
the bitter opposition I have encountered. The end is not yet .
In the city of Hobarton, also , he considered 'the end was
"not yet"' :
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