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46
fields. Following the practice which was inaugurated in 1933, a leaflet giving
advice on the subject to intending hop pickers was distributed to those concerned
through the health services of the various Borough Councils, the officers of the
Council's public assistance department, and the school organisation.
It may be of interest to reproduce a copy of the leaflet which was drawn up in
collaboration with the medical officers of health of the Kent County Council and of
certain of the local authorities in that county as well as the medical officers of the
metropolitan boroughs:—
HOP PICKING.
Help is asked of all those who will go hopping this year to lessen the
risks of spreading infectious disease among London hop pickers.
1. You can help by preventing actual cases of infectious
disease, or contacts of cases of infectious disease, from
entering the hop fields.
It is unlawful for any one suffering from an infectious disease to travel
in a public conveyance, the penalty being a fine not exceeding £10. Apart
from this there is great danger of spreading disease to other families in the
hop fields.
Anyone who has been in contact with infectious disease is strongly
urged not to go hopping during the three weeks following contact. People
who have been in contact with infectious disease and who go to the hop
fields against advice are sent back by the farmers.
2. You can help by preventing cases of tuberculosis from
entering the hop fields.
No one suffering from consumption or tuberculosis should go hopping,
as there is a grave risk to other people sleeping in the huts which are
invariably overcrowded at week-ends.
3. You can help by making sure that only pickers booked by
the growers go to the farms.
No one should go hopping who has not actually been engaged by the
farmers to pick, as the accommodation is limited.
Unauthorised visitors may be turned off the farms.
Overcrowding will cause great discomfort in the huts, the sanitary
provision will not be adequate, and the risk of an outbreak of infectious
disease will be increased.
The medical officer of health of the South-West Kent United Health Area has
stated that, since the leaflets were first distributed, fewer contacts of cases of
infectious disease have come to the hop fields.
Approved
schools and
remand home
During the year, fifteen children were admitted to the Council's infectious
hospitals from the Ponton-road remand home as cases of diphtheria or as carriers.
The inmates were kept under careful observation, and swabbed where necessary.
Two cases of diphtheria occurred at Mayford school.
References to the progress of active immunisation against scarlet fever at the
Mayford school, and of active immunisation against diphtheria at Mile Oak, Ardale
and Cumberlow Lodge schools appear later in this section of the report.
A few cases of other infectious illnesses were reported during the year from these
establishments.
Residential
open-air
schools.
A few sporadic cases of infectious illness were reported during the year from the
residential open-air schools.
Residential
special
schools.
Apart from some cases of chickenpox that occurred amongst the children at one
of the residential special schools, the incidence of infectious illness during the year
amongst the children in these schools does not call for any comment. Reference to
active immunisation against diphtheria in these schools appears later in this section
of the report.