View report page

'20
is being carried out at the home, at one of the school clinics, or in
hospital. Children under school age suffering from Scabies are
brought to my notice by the Health Visitors. If necessary, cases
can be referred for confirmation to the Dermatologist at Oldchurch
County Hospital. Where, for any reason, home treatment or
hospital treatment or school medical treatment cannot be arranged,
patients can be treated at the Cleansing Centres of the First-aid
Posts.
Steam disinfestation of bedding, clothes, etc., is arranged for in
some instances, but, generally, ironing with an ordinary hot iron
is all that is required for blankets or clothing. The general consensus
of opinion is that Scabies is transferred by close bodily contact
with a sufferer, and not through clothing or bedding The Incubation
Period is a long one, about 6 weeks, so that it may be
necessary to trace back during that period to ascertain the source
of contact.
Scabies is not necessarily associated with a dirty environment,
so that persons who normally are clean in their habits, or surroundings,
if they suffer from itching would do well to bear the possibility
of infestation by the Scabies mite in mind, and seek early expert
advice.
In the month of June, the Ministry of Information Film
"Scabies: Diagnosis and Treatment" was shown at Stratford, by
arrangement of the Stratford Division of the British Medical
Association, to Practitioners, Sanitary Inspectors, Nurses, etc., and,
for those who could not attend on this occasion, the film was again
shown in Romford in July, by arrangement of the Essex County
Council.
5.—SUPPLEMENTAKY.
(i) Water.
Mr. Bernard W. Bryan, Engineer to the South Essex Waterwork
Comspany, has informed me that the water supplied throughout
the Company's District was sufficient for all purposes. The
water is under constant analytical observation, and all analyses have
been reported on as pure and wholesome, and suitable for the purposes
of a public supply.
In addition to the above analyses, samples of water are taken,
monthly, from different premises in the District by the Sanitary
Inspectors. These are submitted for Chemical and Bacteriological
examination, and the results have confirmed the findings of the
Waterworks Company.