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107
The number of rooms disinfected during 1908 was 764, compared
with 784 the previous year.
Number of journeys made by the disinfecting vans during the
year, January to December, 1908.
January 64 journeys.
February 34 ,,
March 39
April 48
May 57
June 53
July and August 63 ,,
September 60 ,,
October 46 ,,
November 46 „
December 39 ,,
549
The vans were used 476 times in 1907.
A few minor amendments have been made in the procedure
in connection with this important branch of administration.
Short and simple instructions as to the precautions to be
observed by those in charge of infectious cases have been
prepared for all the important infectious diseases dealt with
by the Department. The instructions to the Inspectors are
that these shall not only be delivered to the persons responsible,
but shall also be explained verbally by them. Enquiries into
cases of Puerperal Fever have been transferred entirely to the
Lady Inspectors. Cases notified from the Metropolitan
Asylums Board as having been discharged with a doubtful
infectious lesion arc made the subject of repeated visits in
order to discover whether any recurrence or aggravation of
the symptoms has taken place, and also to discover whether
any illness of a mild character has resulted from exposure
of other members of the family to these complications of
infectious illness. In a good many instances I have been
asked by medical practitioners to visit doubtful cases of infectious
illness with them and express an opinion as to the nature
of that illness. I have felt it a part of my official duty to
place the experience I have had in the diagnosis of doubtful
cases at the disposal of local practitioners. So far there has
been no need to make this branch of work known in any
general manner to the practitioners in the Borough, as one
usually finds that it gradually filters through into the proper
quarters.
Early in the year a claim was received of damage alleged
to have been done by the use of liquefied sulphur dioxide
and it was deemed expedient to settle this claim without