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Influenza.
In common with the rest of the country there was a
sudden epidemic of influenza in the beginning of the
year. It was of a relatively mild type although 18 deaths
were registered with influenza as the cause or associated
with the cause.
Posters advising avoidance of crowded places, etc.,
were issued, but where so many of the population journey
to and from work in overcrowded trains and buses, one
wonders how far this advice could be followed.
Preventation of Blindness.
Section 176 of the Public Health Act, 1936, and the
Ministry of Health Circular 1621 on the Prevention of
Blindness were considered by the Council, and in view of
the fact that the Kent County Council is the local
authority for the Blind Persons Act, and have, therefore,
a comprehensive scheme for ascertaining and dealing with
persons deemed blind within the Act, and that the local
Education Authority covers the preventive aspect foxschool
children, and that the Kent County Council have
adopted the scheme of notification referred to in the
Circular, it was resolved that the Bexley Corporation continue
to maintain the blindness prevention service for
children under school age, and ante-natal and nursing
mothers, but that the Kent County Council be asked to
carry out the service for the remainder of the population.
Anthrax.
One case of anthrax (malignant pustule of the neck)
occurred during the year, and the patient died. The
patient was a nursery garden labourer, who had been
carrying sacks of guana, Indian bone meal, coarse
bone meal, shoddy wool waste and corysant fertiliser.
Samples of these materials, any of which may have
contained the anthrax spores, were examined by the
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