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16
INFECTIOUS DISEASE.
The total number of cases of Infectious Disease reported during the year
was 308.
Of these, 88 were treated in Denton Hospital.
The total number is, with one exception, the highest of any during the
past ten years.
This is accounted for by the increased number of Enteric Fever cases
reported, the number of such being 90, of which 42 were treated in Denton
Hospital.
There were also 86 cases of Measles reported, most of these occurring
on passenger ships from South Africa.
Sixteen cases of Small-pox were reported as having occurred on vessels
during the voyage to London, but no case of this disease was admitted to the
Port Sanitary Hospital during the year.
The cases reported were principally on homeward-bound vessels, and the
patients had been landed at some port of call before arrival.
The absence of further cases on the vessels in question is satisfactory, and
reflects credit on the means of isolation and other precautions adopted by
those responsible on each vessel.
With the exception of one case exhibiting inflamed glands, which, however,
proved entirely negative as regards plague, there were no cases of
suspected or actual Cholera or Plague admitted to Hospital, and of these
diseases, which are dealt with under their respective headings, only eight
suspected cases were reported on vessels during the year.
On May 6th, 1908, the Local Government Board sanctioned the amended
Bye-laws made by the Port of London Sanitary Authority for removing to
Hospital and for keeping in Hospital for so long as may be necessary any
persons brought within the Port by any vessel, who are infected with a
dangerous infectious disease.