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A seizure was made of some condensed milk, and proceedings
were instituted both against the person on whose premises the milk
was deposited and the firm from which he purchased the stuff at a
price of 10s. 6d. a case of 48 tins. The summons against the latter
was dismissed on the ground that it was not proved to the satisfaction
of the Magistrate that the milk was sold as for the food of
man. The former, who had sold it at £1 per case to a third party,
who sold it at 8d. per tin, was convicted and fined.
Surrender was also allowed of some fruit pulp which had
become unfit for food.
Prevalence and Control over Infectious Disease.
The prevalence of scarlet fever during the latter part of the
year was widespread and great. It started towards the end of
August, but instead of dying down at the end of autumn, it continued
on right into 1921, although the maximum was reached in October.
In all, there were 1,308 notifications of the disease, compared
with 700 in 1919, but I feel sure that even this number by no means
represents the true extent of the prevalence, because a large number
of cases of desquamation after slight and non-characteristic indisposition
were brought to one's notice ; and though some of these
may not have suffered, I believe that the latter class would be
far exceeded by mild cases of which nothing was heard, the symptoms
having been hardly severe enough to call for more than a
passing notice by the parents.
Considering the amount of public money that has been spent
on efforts at prevention, these recurring epidemics of a disease, which
is sometimes referred to as preventable, are very disappointing.
It is true that the mortality has diminished to a great extent, but
how far this is due to the extent of segregation of the patients
and the limiting of the infection in every way, or to a change in the
type of the disease tending less to a fatal termination, it is impossible
to say.
The notifications were distributed amongst the registration
districts in the following order : —37 to Dulwich, 82 to East Dulwich,
278 to North-West Camberwell, 431 to Peckham, and 480 to North
Camberwell. Of these the large number of 1,161 were removed to
isolation hospital, showing that the greater proportion of persons
prefer to have these cases treated at the hospitals than kept at
home under their own care.
There were 12 return cases; those that seemed infectious at
the time of our visit were either referred to their own doctors or the
Asylums Board were communicated with.
Antitoxin continues to be supplied by the Borough, and a
supply is kept at the Town Hall, and it is further to be obtained
at the Dulwich Baths after official hours and also on Sundays.
During the year something like 228 phials were distributed.
Of diphtheria there were 932 notifications, compared with 483
in 1919; of these 62 died, compared with 35, so that the mortality
rate was a little lower.