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26
Consumption and the other forms of tuberculosis are now recognised to be all
more or less infectious, and as such are to a very large extent preventible diseases.
If only proper and efficient steps were taken there is the possibility of this very fruitful
cause of poverty and death becoming abolished from the community. Early in the
year the question of the prevention of tuberculosis came under the consideration of
the Vestry. As a result the medical practitioners and the authorities of the public
institutions in the parish were communicated with by circular letter on the subject of
the infectious character of tuberculous disease and the necessity of the proper
precautions being taken in all cases. The Vestry undertakes to disinfect free of charge
after cases of tuberculosis, and leaflets (copy of which is appended, see page 58)
pointing out in simple language the danger of the disease and the precautions to be
taken for its prevention are being distributed in the parish. During the year
disinfection was carried out in connection with 55 houses in which persons suffering
from consumption had lived or had died. From enquiries made it was ascertained
from the medical officers in charge, that all necessary precautions were taken with
respect to cases of tuberculosis in the public institutions in the parish.
In last year's Annual Report reference was made to the report of the Royal
Commission on tuberculosis and the wide-spread existence of the disease amongst cattle,
especially amongst dairy stock, and the danger attending the use of milk obtained
from tuberculous cows. In September of this year a communication on the subject
of tuberculosis in connection with milk was received from the Hackney Sanitary
Authority, in which particulars were given of an examination of samples of milk which
had been made in that district. No less than 22 per cent, of the samples were found to
be infected and contained tubercle bacilli. The Shoreditch Vestry decided to support
the Hackney Vestry in memorialising the president of the Board of Agriculture to
introduce a Bill into Parliament to give effect to the recommendations of the Royal
Commission, with a view to stamping out bovine tuberculosis. Tuberculosis amongst
cattle is on good authority ranked amongst the chief causes of the prevalence of
tuberculosis amongst human beings, and its elimination may be with confidence expected
to bring about a marked reduction in the mortality amongst human beings from this
cause.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES AND SCHOOLS.
In accordance with the London School Board regulations, information as to the
exclusion from school of children who were either themselves suffering from infectious
disease or were members of households in which infectious disease existed, was received
from Curtain Road, Gopsall Street, Haggerston Road, Chatham Gardens, Scawfell
Street, Scrutton Street, Hanover Street, Maidstone Street, St. John's Road, Bath