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35
34 to the Erith Cottage Hospital, and 42 were removed
from and to various addresses in the Urban District of
Erith.
3. Local Acts & General adopted Acts in force in the
District.
The Erith Tramways and Improvements Act 1904,
the Public Health Acts Amendment Act 1890, the
Infectious Disease (Prevention) Act 1890, and sections
19, 21, 22,23, 25, 31, 33 and 51 of the Public Health
Acts Amendment Act 1907 are in force in the district.
4. Chemical and Bacteriological Work.
No Laboratory is attached to the Public Health
Department, but the County Laboratory at Maidstone
carries out any necessary Bacteriological Examinations.
Under present arrangements each medical man practising
in the district is supplied by the County Medical
Officer with the requisite apparatus for taking swabs or
blood, and when taken these are forwarded to the
Laboratory at Maidstone for examination. Reports on
the results found are forwarded to the medical man concerned,
and also to myself as Medical Officer of Health,
and at the same time fresh apparatus is sent to the
medical man to replace the one used.
During 1919 1.17 swabs were sent for examination
for Diphtheria Bacilli. Of these 28 were sent by medical
men, 8 with positive results, 19 with negative ones and
1 doubtful, 89 swabs were sent from the Sanatorium
from convalescent cases, in 24 cases the result was
positive, and in 65 negative.
During the same period 32 specimens of sputum
were sent up for examination for Tubercle, in 3 only
was it found. One specimen of blood was sent up for
the Widal test for Enteric Fever with a positive result.
In a case of suspected Cerebro-spinal Meningitis the
County Bacteriologist came to Erith, and swabbed 3
persons who had been in contact with the case. In two
the result was negative. and in one doubtful ; the case