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34
Although the general opinion is that Hoffman's Bacillus is not
pathogenic, I must confess that I look upon it with the greatest
amount of suspicion, and I do not allow any child shewing it to
return to school until two consecutive swabs taken at about one
week's interval proved Negative.
WATER.
Six samples of water were submitted to me for examination.
One was found to be unfit for drinking purposes, and a supply taken
from the main was substituted.
A water main has also been extended to Botany Bay, and on
the completion of the Tower tank, will be available for the supply
of all the houses in that neighbourhood.
PREVALENCE OF, AND CONTROL OVER, ACUTE
INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
Although we have happily experienced such a large decrease
in the number of notifications of acute infectious diseases during
the last few years, we have in no way weakened the completeness
of the administrative action which we have heretofore adopted to
gain information as to the source and method of spread of infection,
and to restrain its spread.
When a case of infectious disease is notified, the house is at
once visited, full inquiries made, and all necessary steps are taken
to secure the isolation of the patient either by immediate removal
to Hospital or otherwise; disinfectants are supplied, and the necessary
examination and disinfection of premises carried out. All
contacts are kept under observation, children excluded from school,
and any other precautions which may in my opinion be necessary
are adopted.
Notifications are usually left by hand or come by post to the
offices, and in many instances the medical man in attendance
telephones immediately on becoming aware that he has an infectious
case to deal with.
The following special arrangements have also been made to
remove and deal with cases notified out of office hours:—An
Inspector attends (when the office is closed) on Saturdays at 3.30 p.m.
and on Sundays and Holidays at 9.30 a.m. and 3.30 p.m., and in
the intervals notifications may be left with the Caretaker of the
Public Offices. In addition to this I am not infrequently rung up
on the telephone at my private house, sometimes as late as 11.30 p.m.
by some medical man with an urgent entreaty to remove a case at
once, and I am happy to be able to say that on every occasion we
have complied with his wishes.