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Note.—The notifications of chicken pox are not included ; they numbered 669 in 190.2 and 271 in 1904.
Notification of Erysipelas.—The Public Health Committee referred to me, for report, in June,
a communication received from the Council of the Metropolitan Borough of Slepney, in which it
was suggested that the Local Government Board should be urged to promote legislation for the
amendment of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, by removing erysipelas from the list of
notifiable diseases, in section 55 (i) of that Act.
I reported as follows:—
The view has been expressed in several ot my Annual reports, that many ol the notihed cases or
erysipelas are unimportant in character, and such as the legislature could scarcely have intended to be
notified. The deaths from this cause in the borough, during the last three years, successively, were 6, 3,
and 7; the notifications having been 177, 140, and 157: respectively. It would be well, perhaps, if
notification could be limited to severe cases which exhibit evidence of grave constitutional disturbance—
if this were possible, which I doubt. I am not prepared to say, moreover, that the disease is not liable
to be spread by personal infection in such cases. The Stepney Borough Council object to the expense
involved by notification, and the consequent disinfection. In this borough it is not the practice, and I do
not consider it necessary, to disinfect, generally, after erysipelas; the expense amounts, therefore, to little
more than of notification fees. All of the cases notified are visited to ascertain the condition of the premises;
a desirable precaution, as there is ground for believing that insanitary conditions may cause, and
aggravate, the disease. On the whole, I am not disposed to advise the Committee to comply with the
suggestion of the Stepney Council, by making a representation to the Local Government Board, without
steps having been taken, by that Board, or otherwise, to ascertain, by inquiry, the desirability of
removing erysipelas from the list of notifiable diseases."
The Council, upon the recommendation of the Public Health Committee, informed the
Stepney Borough Council that they were not in favour of the removal of erysipelas from the list of
notifiable diseases.
The subject came before the Society of Medical Officers of Health (Metropolitan Branch)
and a resolution was adopted to the effect that the proposal of the Stepney Council " would be
a dangerous and undesirable step to take," and they had therefore resolved to take no action in
support of it.