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There is a certain amount of evidence pointing to an association
between dampness and rheumatic fever in childhood.
The policy enforced for some considerable time of the systematic
inspection of houses has resulted in securing improved sanitary
conditions, and should reduce the risk of attack from this cause.
If we are to prevent rheumatic heart disease it is essential to
attack the causes responsible for this condition before the heart
is in danger of being affected.
Infectious Diseases (London) Regulations, 1927.
These Regulations come into force on January 1st, 1928, and
revoke the Public Health (Pneumonia, Malaria, Dysentery, etc.)
Regulations of 1919. They require every medical practitioner, as
soon as he becomes aware that a person upon whom he is in professional
attendance is suffering from malaria or dysentery or
acute primary pneumonia or acute influenzal pneumonia, to forthwith
transmit a notification thereof to the Medical Officer of
Health. The change in the diseases notifiable differs only in
respect of trench fever, which ceases to be a notifiable infectious
disease in the new Regulations. A noteworthy provision refers to
the course to be adopted in respect of the notification of cases of
malaria in which infection has been induced for therapeutic
purposes. The number of potentially malarial patients discharged
from institutions is likely to increase owing to the success that
has attended this form of treatment of certain mental cases. The
new Regulations also define the exact powers of Local Authorities
with regard to carriers of typhoid fever and dysentery, and to
known contacts with cases of these diseases, and also supplies the
necessary powers of interference with the occupation of food
handling by such persons.
Bacteriological Examinations.
The bacteriological examination of specimens was continued
to be conducted by Dr. Bousfield, Pathologist, St. Giles' Hospital,
in the laboratory at the hospital. The following report furnishes
in detail the number and the result of the specimens submitted
during the year:—
Diphtheria examinations 2,253 Per cent. positive, 18
Number positive, 406.
Sputum examinations 2,060 Per cent. positive, 17.3
Number positive, 358.
Widal Tests 9 Per cent. positive. 33.3
Number positive, 3.
Milk examinations 25
Water examinations 8
Faeces examinations 1
Various 15
Total 4,371