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Mixed Infection.—This was manifest in at least three families.
Return Cases and Cross Infection.—In nearly every monthly
report to the Public Health Committee I had to submit cases of this kind and
finally in December my Public Health Committee were so dissatisfied that the
Council begged the Ministry of Health for a public enquiry into the matter, and
I was instructed to personally investigate all cases of patients who have returned
from hospital and are renotified shortly after.
Supervision.—By order of the Local Government Board, 29th July,
1910, one of the duties of the County Medical Officer of Health is stated to be
that " He shall from time to time enquire into and report upon the isolation
hospitals in his county." Does he ?
Accommodation.—At the end of 1919 patients were still being sent to
the Cheshunt Isolation Hospital owing to our own accommodation being filled
up, and on the 5th January there were nine cases at Cheshunt (eight cases of
scarlet fever and one of diphtheria); for this help at a very difficult time my
Council expressed their indebtedness to the Cheshunt Authority. On February
4th there was one case of scarlet fever. On March 3rd there were 18 cases of
scarlet fever and five cases of diphtheria at Cheshunt.
In March, arrangements were made with the hospital for the blankets used
in the ambulance to be washed at the hospital instead of at Deepham's Farm.
Vermin.—On the 27th April, the Council's attention was drawn to a
report from our Isolation Hospital with reference to the number of persons
admitted from Edmonton District who at that time had verminous heads. I
now receive regularly the names and addresfes of such cases, which enables
enquiries to be made by the following-up nurse at the homes of the children.
This report furnishes another powerful argument for the immediate completion
of our vermin station.
Transport.—This continues on the old-fashioned lines by the Council's
horse-drawn vehicle. As I have been saying for the past 15 years, the proper
and prompt method is by motor transport from our hospital with a trained nurse
in attendance. That is the method of the Metropolitan Asylums Board and of
our own Smallpox Hospital Board.