View report page

25
These regulations did not materially affect the City as there are few, if any,
places of public entertainment, within the meaning of the definition, in the City.
There are, however, one or two Public Institutions in the City where entertainments
are sometimes given, and although it was doubtful whether they could be regarded
as coming within the scope of the regulations, the Authorities at each readily
acquiesced in the suggestions which I made with a view to preventing the spread
of influenza.
The regulations were revoked by a General Order dated 6th May, 1919.
INFLUENZA.
PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES.—Energetic action was taken in the early
part of the year throughout the whole country to prevent, if possible, any recurrence
of the widespread epidemic of Influenza of 1918.
Education played an important part in these measures, and practically all
local health authorities endeavoured to inform the public, by means of leaflets,
posters or notices, of the nature and gravity of the malady, how to prevent infection,
and the procedure to be observed in case of attack.
In the City a pamphlet with this object was prepared and distributed to all
houses, tenements, wharves, factories, shops, etc., and with the permission of the
Commissioner of Police, was exhibited at all the City police stations.
PUBLIC HEALTH (ACUTE ENCEPHALITIS LETHARGICA AND
ACUTE POLIO ENCEPHALITIS) REGULATIONS, 1918.
The above Regulations, which came into operation on the 1st January, 1919,
were framed with the object of securing the notification of cases of an obscure
infectious disease which occurred in epidemic form in the spring of 1918 and which
was first referred to as Botulism. An investigation made by the Medical Inspectors
of the Local Government Board in conjunction with the Medical Research Committee,
established the fact that the disease in question was not Botulism, but that
its clinical manifestations appeared to be those of an infectious disease which has
been termed Encephalitis Lethargica.
The notification of this disease, together with the notifications of acute Polio
Encephalitis was therefore deemed desirable, and the Regulations above named
were issued accordingly and were to remain in operation for one year.
Action taken under the Regulations has given such satisfactory results that
it has been decided to continue their operation until such time as the Ministry of
Health otherwise directs [vide Public Health (Acute Encephalitis Lethargica and
Acute Polio Encephalitis) Regulations, 1919].
Steps have been taken to direct the attention of all medical men practising
within the City to the Regulations, and a copy has been forwarded to each.
PUBLIC HEALTH (PNEUMONIA, MALARIA, DYSENTERY, ETC.)
REGULATIONS, 1918.
The Public Health (Pneumonia, Malaria, Dysentery, etc.) Regulations, 1918,
which came into operation on the 1st March, 1919, impose on medical practitioners
the duty of notification of each case of Malaria, Dysentery, Trench Fever, Acute
Primary Pneumonia, or acute Influenzal Pneumonia which may come to their
notice. The notification is to be forwarded to the Medical Officer of Health of
the district in which the patient resides. Notification is not required in cases
of Malaria, Dysentery or Trench Fever if the case has, to the knowledge of the
Medical Practitioner, already been notified within the period of six months immediately
preceding the date on which he first became aware of the disease in
that particular patient.
The attention of all medical men practising in the City was directed to the
regulations and a copy forwarded to each.