MALARIA, MOSQUITOES AND THE ESSEX MARSHES 43
Tilbury: Faught reported: "Tilbury Fort
has long been regarded as un-
healthy and troops have, of late
years been relieved every six
months. In 1873, there were 12
admissions for ague among 102
quartered there during the first
six months, and in the same
period in 1872 there were 34 ad-
missions for ague among 103 men
stationed there".
Romford: Deck Davey (surgeon) said that
the neighbourhood was particu-
larly exempt from ague about
1864, but one or two cases occur-
red in the town itself in 1859.
Rainham: From the same source we learn
that there were several cases in
1859.
Glenny, in his article, 'The Thames Dykes', in The Essex
Review (1942), recorded that in about 1850, "Ague was rather
prevalent in poor residences near the Marshes, and Mrs. Pollett,
senior, always carefully preserved the consumed wick or snuff
from her candles, which she considered as a specific for this
malady. Other benevolent neighbours gave away quinine which
was probably a more useful remedy".
1858 and 1859 were remarkably dry years and there was an
epidemic of malaria; in fact, the last extensive one.
In the Army Medical Department Report for 1874, under the
heading, 'Paroxsymal Fevers', there is an entry to the effect that
the rate of admission (for Home Forces) was 9.4 per 1,000 men,
showing a reduction of nearly one half on the rate of the preced-
ing year. The greatest rate of prevalence of fevers of this nature
(ague in all except 35 cases) was that of Woolwich (22.6 per 1,000).
The Woolwich District combined in itself the two conditions of
residence in it of a large number of men recently arrived from
abroad and that of containing stations—Purfleet and Tilbury
Fort—where malaria fever was endemic.
Surgeon-Major Faught, to whom reference has earlier been
made, reported in 1875 on the prevalence of ague and malaria at
Tilbury Fort and connected this prevalence with the water
supply. The supply to the Fort was rainwater, collected from the
roofs and stored in underground concrete tanks (after passing
through a rough filter of charcoal and gravel) which had been
built in 1873. Prior to that, there were no means of purifying
the water. He recorded that, as the tanks required emptying and
cleansing, a temporary alternative supply was obtained from a
spring at Tilbury Railway Station. Before the storage tanks were
again used, the water was sampled and found to be very impure,