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advised to make local arrangements with a competent bacteriologist for
'the examination of swabs taken from persons who had been in intimate
contact with a patient suffering from the disease.
Co-operation of Civil and Military Authorities.
It is satisfactory to know that the work done by the civil health
authority under a scheme of co-operation with the military authorities
has proved beneficial, and has met with the approval of the Army
Council, who sent a letter to the Local Government Board dated March
25th, which was published for the information of local authorities by
the Board. In this letter the opinion is expressed that "the assistance
of the local public health authorities under the guidance of the Local
Government Board, in the unexampled circumstances of the last eight
months, has been invaluable in safeguarding the health of the forces
and in preventing the spread of infectious disease to an extent which
would have been otherwise impracticable.
The work in this Borough has been chiefly the supervision of
military contacts with infectious disease. When it has been a soldier
or sailor home on leave your Medical Officer of Health has communicated
-with the Commanding Officers throughout the country and has
decided the date when the man may safely rejoin his regiment or ship.
In addition to the above, there has been a considerable amount of
personal bathing and disinfecting of military clothing. Commanding
Officers have been advised on sanitary matters connected with billets
and encampments. When required, food has been 1inspected, and if
condemned, dealt with by this department.