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1929
22
authorities to the possibility of an outbreak of more than usual
magnitude. This was done in the first week of January by the issue
of a circular and a copy of the Ministry's memorandum on Influenza.
I circularized the local doctors, and a meeting of the local doctors
was held in the Committee room of the Council Offices on January
17th. Certain suggestions were made by the doctors present and
these were practically all adopted by the Council. Arrangements
were made with the authorities of the Acton Hospital for the home
nursing of the more serious cases. The hospital has two nurses for
the nursing of district cases, and one of these was detailed to nurse
influenza cases referred by a doctor, and the Council paid the
Hospital authorities at the rate of 2/- per visit. It was felt by the
doctors that the services of domestic helps would in the majority
of instances be more useful than those of a nurse, and arrangements
were made with three very suitable persons to carry out this part
of the work. Arrangements were also made with the Education
Committee for the supply of meals from the Cookery Centres to
families should the necessity arise.
It was pointed out by some of the doctors that in an extensive
epidemic a difficulty arises in the treatment of non-panel
members of a family. If a person who was not on a panel and
whose means were such that payment for medical services would
seem remote sent for a doctor to visit him, the doctor might reply
that he was really too busy to take on any more patients and refer
the case to some other doctor. It was not reasonable for a doctor
to take on an emergency patient at such a busy time when all doctors
were "run off their legs." The Council decided that in suitable
cases it would pay the agreed doctors' fees for attendance
upon such patients.
Fortunately the epidemic was not so severe or so extensive
here as it was in certain other areas. The services of the nurse and
of the domestic helps were utilised, but the other emergencies did
did not arise.
It is possible that these measures may have alleviated some
of the suffering, but in the field of prevention little real progress
has been made. The causal organism of Influenza has not been
discovered, and it is not always possible to differenciate between a
common cold and genuine Influenza. Influenza is spread by personal
contaqt and droplet infection," but from the nature of the
disease it is not practical to enforce measures of rigid isolation on
a large scale with any prospect of success. The opportunities for
self-protection by individuals, though, lie in the line of isolation
avoidance of crowds and of direct contact with influenza patients
and with all persons suffering from " colds". The advice contained
in the Report of the Chief Medical Officer of the Ministry of Health