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51
ADMINISTRATIVE WORK.
ADMINISTRATIVE WORK.
Staff.—The Staff of the Department remained unchanged. The usual summary of work
performed by the District Inspectors is given in Table 29. Separate tables will be found
under the subjects of "Housing," "Workshops," &c., summarising the work of the other
Inspectors.
Prevention of Infectious Diseases.—The visits made by the Staff of the Department
with reference to cases of infectious illnesses (notified and other diseases) amounted to 4,652,
3,704 of which were made by the two Women Inspectors, with reference to cases (or deaths)
of the following diseases:—
Measles 543 visits. Chicken-pox 100 visits. "Consumption" 175 visits.
Whooping Cough 104„ Infantile Diarrhœa 152„ Puerperal Fever 10„
In 1903, 4,145 such visits were made, and, in 1902, 3,341. The increase in the number
of visits recorded during the past year, took place in the first and fourth quarters of the year
(see below).
1st Quarter, 1,732 (1,012); 3rd Quarter (Holidays), 801 (988);
2nd Quarter, 872 (1,064); 4th Quarter, 1,247 (1,081).
Figures for 1003 in parentheses.
"Letters of advice" are sent when patients suffering from notified illnesses are kept at
home, with which are enclosed a memorandum of the precautions necessary to prevent the
spread of infection, and extracts from the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, and Factory
and Workshop Act, 1901, relating to the " dangerous infectious diseases." During the past
year 72 such letters were issued, as compared with 00 in 1903 and 114 in 1902. Special
communications are sent to midwives and others having charge of cases of puerperal fever, of
which 8 were issued last year, as against 4 in 1903 and 19 in 1902. The rooms disinfected
numbered 1,795 last year, as compared with 1,970 in the previous year.
Hospital Work.—The total number of cases of infectious illnesses removed to hospital
was 478 last year, 549 in 1903, and 632 in 1902.
The accommodation provided by the Metropolitan Asylums Board at the close of the
year comprised 7,058 beds (5,018 for "fever" cases and 2,040 for small-pox). The construction
of hospitals to provide 1,288 further beds for "fever" cases has been authorised, and
the works are well in hand. The following is a summary statement of the beds provided or
projected (in hand):—
For "fever" (diphtheria and scarlet, typhus and enteric (typhoid) fevers)—
Permanent accommodation provided—acute cases 4,266 beds in 9 hospitals.
convalescent 752 „ 1 hospital.
Accommodation to be provided acute cases† 488 „ 1 „
convalescent‡ 800 „ 1 „
For small-pox—
Permanent accommodation provided, acute and convalescent
cases 2,040 „ 3 hospitals.
This statement leaves out of consideration the 1,850 beds at Gore Farm Hospital, in
regard to which no decision has as yet been arrived at as to their future use.
†South-Eastern Hospital in course of re-construction. The accommodation here will be increased from 408
beds to 488. ‡Southern Hospital in course of construction.