View report page

Caretakiug of houses which are unlet or temporarily unoccupied
appears to be an occupation which is taken up by consumptives either
solely or while still working at another occupation, though to a reduced
extent. In empty houses this has a two-fold advantage in that the
income is maintained and better housing accommodation is obtained while
there is probably no risk to the incoming tenant who has the place
re-decorated before entry; but in furnished houses the case is different,
and it would be well that care should be exercised in selecting persons
to be left in charge, especially as it is the servants' quarters which are
occupied by the caretaker.
The occupation of a monthly nurse does not appear to be a suitable
one for a consumptive person, and may be a danger both to the mothers
and infants attended. An instance occurred last year in which the
probability is that a baby was infected in this way. The nurse, who
lives in another borough, suffers from " asthma," and had a bad cough.
She slept with the mother and child. The family is a healthy one, and
the mother was attended by a doctor from the hospital; no neighbours
or friends had visited the house after the confinement. When the child
was 14 days old she developed broncho-pneumonia, and was taken into