View report page

DYSENTERY
Hornsey in common with many other London and Middlesex
Boroughs has shared the increase in notifications of dysentery.
The dysentery prevalent in Hornsey during 1953 has been of the
Sonne type, a disease of slight severity and of short duration mainly
affecting school children and younger members of the family.
Traditionally, spread of this disease is attributable to low standards
of personal hygiene. On investigation, however, it is found that standards
of cleanliness are reasonable and the mode of spread of the disease is
often difficult to trace.
At one school the disease was noticed to have spread where lavatory
accommodation was defective at a time when building repairs and
extensions necessitated the closing of an already limited accommodation.
At another school the epidemic nature of the disease ended after additional
disinfecting measures were introduced in the toilets. The school
canteens do not appear to be an important factor in the distribution of
this disease because in both instances a considerable number of children
had not taken school dinners.
In two schools the available evidence suggests that the lavatory rather
than the canteen played the chief part in the spread of the infection.
When cases are notified the houses are visited and adult food handlers
advised to cease work until proved bacteriologically free from infection.
Other adults continue at work and child contacts who attend schools
where the disease is epidemic are excluded until proved bacteriologically
free from infection.
THE PUBLIC HEALTH (INFECTIOUS DISEASE) REGULATIONS,
1953
These Regulations which came into operation on 1st April, 1953
revoke the Public Health (Infectious Disease) Regulations, 1927.
In their general substance and form the new Regulations are similar
to the old, namely that they require notification of various diseases
and extend the local authority's powers to prevent the spread of food
poisoning.
They provide for action to be taken not only as regards a person
suffering from the diseases specified but also any person shown to be
a "carrier". There is also provision for a local authority to authorise th
medical officer of health to take immediate action in a particular case
in order to check the spread of disease although he is required to report
to the local authority at the earliest opportunity. In Hornsey, the
medical officer of health has been so authorised by the Council. Power
is also given under these Regulations to prevent "carriers" as well as
those suffering from the disease referred to as "food poisoning" from
entering employment involving food handling.
43