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1909
160
drained and dried. In recent years it has very frequently happened in
houses which have been redrained with pipes whose joints have been
made with cement, that although previously perfectly dry, they have
exhibited signs of dampness, and indeed, have had water under their
floors or in their basements, so that it has become necessary to lay special
pipes to drain it away. This is a danger that is now always looked for, so that
people may be advised as to the steps they should take to prevent so great
an evil.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES IN THE PUBLIC ELEMENTARY
SCHOOLS.
Not the least important work carried out by the Public Health Department
is inquiry into the cases of infectious diseases, whether notifiable or not, that
occur among the scholars in the public elementary schools.
The returns show that 938 scholars were attacked with one or other of the
notifiable infectious diseases, and that such attacks were in the proportion of
45.8 per cent. of all the cases notified. In the preceding year 1,058 cases were
notified among scholars, in 1907 836, in 1906 998, and in 1905 832, while
the average of the last 10 years was 964, which represent 31.1 per cent. of all
cases notified in that period.
Investigation showed that 737 scholars were attacked with Scarlet Fever,
as compared with a decennial average of 652 ; 184 with Diphtheria, as against an
average of 253; 16 with Enteric Fever as against an average of 42; and 1 case
with other diseases, as against an average of 15. From this statement it is
seen that, with the exception of Scarlet Fever, the number of school children
attacked from the various diseases was below the decennial average although
the percentage proportion to all cases rose from a decennial average of 41.1 per
cent. to 45.8. The 737 cases of Scarlet Fever among scholars represented 57.4
per cent. of all cases of Scarlet Fever notified, and the 184 cases of Diphtheria
among scholars 42 8 per cent. of all the cases of that disease notified; while the
16 cases of Enteric Fever among school children represented 16.8 per cent.
of the known cases of it.
The following return has been prepared to show the number of scholars
atacked with each disease during the preceding 10 years.