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32
Three cases of cerebrospinal fever were treated; the Edmonton case
recovered (see my last report).
Officers. Dr. Haldane Cook is the resident medical superintendent and
sole medical officer. The Clerk and Surveyor of the Enfield Council still act
as Clerk and Architect of the Hospital. Miss Eardley is the matron ; there
are 1 assistant matron, 3 sisters (1 for night duty), 4 staff nurses, 12 probationers
and 4 ward maids; in 1915-16 the resident "staff numbered 44 and
the out-door staff 4, compared with 57 and 3 the year before.
Antitoxin. On December 6th, 1915, Dr. Cook attended my Sanitary
Committee's meeting, and suggested a plan whereby the medical practitioners
might be prevailed on to administer antitoxin before a patient's removal to
hospital. I was absent owing to indisposition. His enthusiastic advocacy
influenced the Committee to recommend that syringes should be kept at our
three fire stations, which are continually open. The syringe, after use, is
washed and left at the home, and conveyed with the patient to the hospital,
when a sterilised syringe is handed to the transport officer in exchange, who
takes it to the fire station from which the doctor obtained the first one. It
was also advised that the practitioners be paid 3s. 6d. for each injection
given, and reported on the notification; further, that the Enfield doctors be
allowed to obtain antitoxin at our Bush Hill Park fire station on payment
of its cost from their Council. This was referred back, and not ratified
until the January meeting of the Council, when 2s. 6d. fee was offered, but
the Edmonton Medical Society stipulated for the first-named fee, which was
then agreed to on 22nd February.
So seven syringes were purchased, and in May two were placed at each
fire station and one held at the hospital (for exchange), sterilised, and in
dust-proof envelopes. This plan is on its trial; it may prove difficult in
practice to maintain the supply of syringes sterilised and fit for immediate
use.
In April it was arranged that antitoxin for use on Enfield patients
should be issued from our Bush Hill Park fire station, and charged to that
Council.
Return Cases, During the year 1916 there have been five such of
soarlet fever and one of diphtheria. Three of scarlet fever arose in a family,
where the first case was sent home from the Metropolitan Asylums Board
Hospital at Winchmore Hill, to which she was sent back. Dr. Cook estimates
the percentage of return cases of scarlet fever during 1915-16 as 4.97, compared
with 2.70 for the previous period.