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45
and materially prevent the spreading of infectious diseases,
if they would apply to the Officials, and be removed to
Hospital. The number of deaths which took place was 27,
being at the rate of a fraction over 7 per cent.
Sanitary Inspections and Proceedings.—The Inspector
of Nuisances has been very active during the past year. A
house to-house visitation has been made, and in several
localities, as cases of Zymotic disease have occurred, or
complaints been made, the same ground has been gone over
and over again. By this means, many nuisances have been
discovered and removed. A large amount of disinfection
and fumigation has been carried out in houses where disease
of a contagious or infectious nature has taken place, and I
believe that this has been very effectual, no second case
having come under my notice in the same house after
disinfection. The house-to-house visitation, though generally
going on, was more particularly carried out, owing to
the severe outbreak of Scarlet Fever, which I have already
referred to in the earlier part of this report, and in regard
to which it is only necessary to remark that few cases
were sent to the Special Hospital provided for that purpose,
and to point out how soon an outbreak may be checked if
efficiently dealt with, as instanced at the Patriotic School
for Boys on Wandsworth Common. In October an outbreak
occurred ; in a few days there were 28 boys affected.
Immediate isolation took place; the whole of the children
thoroughly inspected ; the clothes, bedding and rooms were
disinfected and not another case appeared. Without these
precautions I have not the least doubt but that the disease
would have spread through the whole school, I have to
hank Mr. Hawken, the Medical Officer, for his kindness in
so readily and unhesitatingly supplying me with the infornation
asked for. I should mention that application was
made to me to have some clothes, bedding and carpets disinfected
by heat; having no chamber, it was impossible to
iarry out the request, all I could do was to direct them to
jo suspended and fumigated. It would be an advantage to
construct such a chamber in connection with the proposed
nortuary.