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37
TO THE CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE
MERTON URBAN DISTRICT COUNCIL.
Council Offices.
Merton.
January, 1909.
Gentlemen,
I beg to present my Report of the work carried out in the
District, during the year 1908.
INFECTIOUS DISEASE.
It has been my practice whenever possible to be present
to assist in the removal of patients suffering from Diphtheria,
Scarlet Fever, or Enteric. As the notifications are chiefly
received over the telephone, this often enables me to investigate
the source of infection, and report to the Medical Officer
some hours before the notification is received by post. A
supply of Diphtheria Antitoxin and outfits for diagnosis are
kept at my residence, and it is possible to obtain these at any
time during the day or night. Where any cases is attributed
to school attendance, the class-room has been disinfected, upon
the instructions of the Medical Officer. This has been done
in each of the four schools in the District. During the year,
the total number of disinfections carried out was 65, with the
addition of disinfection carried out at schools.
FOOD INSPECTION.
The premises visited for this purpose include Slaughterhouses,
Cowsheds, Dairies, Butchers', Fishmongers', and Bakehouses.
During the year, 224 visits were paid to the Slaughter-houses
in the District; these visits were paid at irregular
hours, on any day or night of the week, and to the uncertainty
of these visits I attribute the practice of the occupiers in