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31
Cellulose Spirit.
Three premises are licensed solely for the storage of cellulose
spirit and the total quantity kept on these premises is SO gallons.
Horticultural Poisons.
There are three licences in force for the sale of horticultural
poisons under the Poisons and Pharmacy Act.
The Petroleum Spirit (Motor Vehicles, &c.) Regulations
and the
Petroleum (Carbide of Calcium) Order, 1929,
came into force in December, 1929.
The Petroleum Spirit (Conveyance) Regulations, 1932,
came into operation on the 1st of February, 1933.
LEGAL PROCEEDINGS.
No legal proceedings were taken during the year.
PREVALENCE OF, AND CONTROL OVER, INFECTIOUS
AND OTHER DISEASES.
There is, fortunately, nothing of an unusual nature to report
regarding the incidence of infectious diseases. There was no
case of small-pox in the Borough, in spite of the fact that the
mild form of this disease (Variola Minor) continues to smoulder
in the metropolitan area.
There was an average incidence of scarlet fever, which continues
to be of a mild type. This infection is, indeed, so mild
that many cases must be missed during the year, because the
patients are not ill enough to cause alarm and no doctor is
called in.
Diphtheria also remains at a low incidence and fatality—
only 44 cases and 2 deaths occurring during the year.
Tn these circumstances there is no public demand for
immunisation against diphtheria and scarlet fever, and not very
strong ground for urging the desirability of protection against
these infections. It should always be borne in mind, however,
that medical science does not fully understand the factors which
control variations in the incidence and severity of diseases, and
it may happen that diphtheria or scarlet fever or both may not
continue indefinitely to let us off so lightly.