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136
1904]
INFECTIOUS DISEASES ON BUSINESS PREMISES.
If the isolation of persons suffering from infectious diseases needed
justification its uses would be supplied by a perusal of the table on page 138
which gives a list of the businesses carried on in houses where they occurred
during the year 1904. The record therein given is no new one; it is similar to
others that have now been given for ten years, and demonstrates how important
it is that infected persons should be taken away for isolation lest they should
infect the goods that were being made or on sale at the premises. In one
instance a man, a Russian, suffering from Typhus Fever, was discovered in
a confectioner's house. He was, of course, removed to hospital, but unfortunately
he had been sleeping in a room where about twenty-pounds worth
of sweetmeats of all descriptions were stored, which came under strong
suspicion of being infected, and were, therefore, at once destroyed. It would
not have been possible to have allowed such a person to remain at home,
because of the possibility and probability of the disease being conveyed
to the shop. The writer has seen some sad cases of sickness and
death in the North of England from this disease, the germs of which were
conveyed from the sick room by persons in attendance on the patient to
persons assisting in the shops. It must, however, be said that at that time
they were not aware of the nature of the illness. Such incidents prove the
danger of allowing infectious diseases to remain on business premises.

Scarlet Fever was discovered on premises in which the following
businesses, among others, were conducted:—Butcher, Bootmaker, Baker,
Beltmaker, Bibmaker, Confectioner, Dressmaker, Dairy, Draper, Dyer and
Cleaner, Embroiderer, Furrier, General Dealer, Grocer, Greengrocer, Hairdresser,
Ice Cream, Laundry, Mangling, Newsagent, Public House, Restaurant,
Sweetshop, Tailors, Underclothing.