View report page

50
ADMINISTRATIVE WORK.
ADMINISTRATIVE WORK*
Prevention of Infectious Disease.—The calls made by the Staff with reference to all
kinds of infectious disease, numbered 6,712 last year, as compared with 5,734 in 1907, and
4,388 in 1906. The District Inspectors made 2,747 calls with reference to diseases formally
notified, as compared with 2,442 in the previous year, and the Women Inspectors and
Students, 3,965 (3,292 in 1907) calls with reference to diseases not on the schedule for
notification. In 1906 the latter made 2,330 calls. Last year's calls by the Women
Inspectors related to—
Measles 1,285 Chicken-pox 202 Whooping Cough 163
Diarrhœa 1,188 Consumption 1,119 Puerperal Fever 8
The number of patients removed to hospital for isolation and treatment, was 707 last
year, against 694 in 1907, and 882 in 1906. "Letters of Advice," covering extracts from
Public Health (London) Act, 1891, and the Factory and Workshop Act, 1901, with memoranda
of precautions requisite to prevent the spread of infection, were sent out with reference to
46 patients who were treated at home, the number of such letters having been 55 in 1907, and
67 in 1906. In addition 3 special communications were addressed to midwives and others in
charge of cases of puerperal fever, as compared with 6 in the preceding year, and 8 in 1906.
Disinfection.—The disinfection of rooms occupied by persons suffering with infectious
disease is carried out by the Department, by the use of formaldehyde spray. The rooms
dealt with during the year numbered 2,223 (including 172 rooms after consumption), as compared
with 2,552 in 1907, and 2,166 in 1906. In 7 instances the necessary disinfection was
done privately, and the efficiency of the processes employed duly certified by the attendant
practitioners.
"Cartons" of chloride of lime and cakes of carbolic soap are distributed to a small extent
only, the popular use of disinfectants being held of little value, and not equal in efficiency to
ordinary domestic cleansing. The amount spent on disinfectants of all kinds, including
materials for spraying of rooms, was £14 14s. last year.
The disinfection of bedding, personal clothing, etc., is still carried out under contract by
Messrs. Armfield, who do the work thoroughly well. 1 he goods removed during the past
year weighed 53¼ tons, as compared with 48½ tons in 1907, 56 tons in 1906, and 67 in 1905.
The cost of the work amounted to £1,082 last year, £1,087 in 1907, £1,148 in 1906, and
£1,392 in 1905. Complaints of any description are rare, only 6 of no importance being
received during the past year. All complaints were promptly remedied by the Contractors.
* Table 34 summarises the work of the District Inspectors not specially dealt with in the following paragraphs.