A Special Mortality among Infants at Loughton, in the Epping Rural Sanitary District

"A Special Mortality among Infants at Loughton, in the Epping Rural Sanitary District" by William Henry Power is a historical scientific report from 1878 that examines a disturbing outbreak of skin disease among babies in Loughton. The report zeros in on a possible connection between the outbreak and a specific violet powder, thought to be tainted with arsenic. Power's work examines the cases thoroughly, providing observations and analysis to figure out what was causing the illness. The investigation shows that starting in March 1877, many babies in Loughton developed a serious skin problem, and a significant number of them passed away. Power carefully looks into potential causes, pointing to a specific violet powder as the source. He describes how the affected children had symptoms such as blackened skin and blisters. The report looks at how using the violet powder relates to getting the illness, implying that the powder was likely the source of the problem. Power's goal is to provide a base of scientific understanding about the outbreak while stressing how crucial it is to have safety rules for products.