View report page

District.
23
individual cases, and should practically have to be content with
simply recording the number received.
At the same time if it be thought that it would not be right to
neglect any means that might by any possibility be useful in
combating cholera, then we consider that diarrhoea, if made notifiable
at all, should be made so for the whole County of London.
This can only be done by the London County Council.
It appears to us, however, that more can be done under the present
provisions of the law. In the Public Health (London) Act, sec. 55,
the word "cholera" is used in the list of notifiable diseases. In
this district, at all events, it is understood by medical practitioners
to mean only Asiatic cholera. We think it means any kind of
cholera, whether Asiatic or British.
We would suggest that a circular be sent to all medical
practitioners in the district pointing out that in the opinion of the
Board " Cholera " means British cholera not only Asiatic.
We should then obtain notification of cases of severe diarrhoea
(British cholera) which would we think be very desirable.
July 23, 1894.
Disinfection of Bedding,&c. The question of providing a disinfection station
for this district instead of the present system of having it
done by contract, was under consideration during the
early part of the year. The following report was drawn
up by your Medical Officers of Health and Surveyors.
"Gentlemen,
"We beg to report that pursuant to your instructions we have
considered the subject of the cost of disinfection.
" The great increase in this cost during the past year was caused
by the epidemic of scarlet fever, now abating, and the more
expensive system of disinfection brought about by the Public Health
Act. We do not, however, think it would be safe to assume that
in future there may not be occasionally, if not continuously, as
great a call upon the Board for this work as was the case last year.