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35
instances are swabbed. The subject of swabbing contacts is an
extremely unsatisfactory one, as perfectly healthy people are known to
harbour the causative germ in their throats and noses betimes. Tests
for virulence or avirulence of a discovered bacillus take fourteen days,
too long for practical purposes as a whole. I shall deal with this
subject more fully next year.
To obtain information from doctors practising in Deptford, I sent
the following letter
Dear Doctor,
I am writing my Annual Report for 1922, on the Health of
Deptford.
The Ministry of Health have asked me to include any information
which I have obtained from you in respect to any causes of
sickness and invalidity during 1922.
If anything particular came to your notice during 1922, I should
be most grateful to you for a note on the subject, and should be
happy to print the same in the Report along with other information
from brother practitioners.
This morning I had an interesting experience and it has led me to
place the facts before you and ask your kind opinion on the treatment
of chronic rheumatism.
I was introduced to a lady who told me in the course of conversation
that she used to suffer badly from rheumatism and that she
still had twinges. A native of Lincolnshire, she said the disease
was very common there, as also " hearts." As to treatment she
said that the waters and mineral baths at Wood Hall Spa were
excellent, but that the effect of the same was not fully appreciated
until months after. The waters contained bromo-iodine and though
such might be got in bottles, probably this would be dear. She
dieted herself carefully,avoided starch foods (she could not remember
when she had a potato last). A baker makes a special dry loaf for
her, and this she consumes after toasting the same. As regards
medicine, she has found that the salicylates made her ears ring and
were not very useful for chronic rheumatism. Aspirin was valuable
but depressing. Her main stand-by consists in taking large doses
of sodium bicarbonate thrice weekly.
It is of interest to note that she has a bit of a callosity on the inner
aspect of the left foot at the metatarso-phalangeal articulation.
Twinges occur here, but on paring the callosity and especially on
making it bleed, relief is obtained.
I wonder whether you could kmdly see your way to let me have
a note of your views as to the treatment of chronic rheumatism. I
would endeavour to write a paragraph (or short essay, depending on
the extent of the replies 1 get) for the Annual Report, a copy of
which, as issued, will be sent to you. I gratefully thank you in
advance for your kind reply.
Yours faithfully,
Charles S. Thomson,
Medical Officer of Health.