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the greatest importance, not only in the interests of the patients and family, but also
of the community generally, that this material (sputum) should be received in bits of
rag or paper which can be burnt, or a suitable receptacle containing water or some
disinfectant, so that measures may be taken to destroy the infectious matter.
Infection may also be conveyed by milk. It is not improbable that many of the
cases of abdominal tuberculosis result in this manner. It is, therefore, very important
that the milk upon which infants are fed should be scalded. Boiling, if only for a
very short time, is sufficient to render the milk safe, not only in regard to the tubercle
bacillus, but possibly most other nocuous micro-organisms also. Circumstances which
favour the prevalence of diseases due to the tubercle micro-organism are insanitary
conditions, such as overcrowding, overwork, irregularity of life, intemperance,
uncleanliness, and want of light and ventilation in dwellings, contamination of soil
in the neighbourhood of dwellings, and dampness of the foundations and walls of
dwellings.
DISINFECTION.
During the year 1897 the number of premises visited and disinfected by the
Vestry's officers amounted to 1,106. The number of articles brought to the Vestry's
disinfecting station and disinfected was 11,093, and included 956 beds, 1,810 pillows,
679 palliasses, 622 bolsters, and 7,026 miscellaneous articles, including clothing,
curtains, carpets, and various other textile and leather goods.
In addition to those disinfected, it was necessary to destroy 15 beds, 8 palliasses,
4 pillows, and 2 bolsters, as being so contaminated or in such bad condition as to
render it inadvisable to return them. These were replaced by the Vestry. There
were no cases of damage, either to the articles passed through the disinfecting
apparatus or due to the measures taken with regard to the disinfection of any of the
1,106 premises dealt with, brought to my notice. The results of the measures taken
with regard to disinfection in the parish during the year were satisfactory. In none
of the nine cases of recurrent scarlet fever which I have alluded to (see ante p. 14)
was there any evidence that the disinfection was at fault.