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4
Diphtheria.
There were 219 notifications of this disease received
during the year. The disease was in many cases of a very
malignant type, and there were 53 deaths. They were for
the most part scattered over the district, with the exception
of one portion of Forest hill, known as the Freehold. In
this part of the District diphtheria has been perpetually in
evidence. The houses are for the most part badly drained,
and the same cistern supplies the drinking water of the
house and the water-closet. A house to house inspection is
being made in this locality, and a great many of the houses
have been redrained and separate water cisterns supplied. I
trust that when the whole work is completed we shall get
rid of diphtheria from this part of the District. Its close
proximity to one of the large Board Schools in the Brockleyroad
makes diphtheria in this locality a special danger. In
many cases a child attending school with a diphtheric throat,
which has not been noticed by its parents, may give the
disease in a more severe form to large numbers of children
with whom it may come in contact. All children are excluded
from school who come from a house in which zymotic
disease is known to exist. I think that in many cases they
are allowed to return before the house is thoroughly free
from infection. I have been asked lately by the Medical
Officer of Health for the School Board to give certificates
in all cases when the disinfection of the house has been completed,
certifying that the rest of the children in the house
are free from infection, and can therefore return to school.
This I have not at present agreed to, as I consider that such
certificates should be given by the medical man in attendance,
and that it might throw any onus on to Sanitary
Authorities, and possibly in some cases lead to legal proceedings.
I think that special provision should be made in
the Public Health Act for this matter, as no child should be
allowed to resume attendance at School till a medical certificate
is given that the other children in the house are free
from infection, and the house itself has been properly dis-