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24
Several intimations were received as to investigations by the school medical
authorities as regards the occurrence of cases of scarlet fever and diphtheria at
certain of the schools in the Borough. Information was also received from the
School Medical Officer respecting four children excluded from school on account of
presence of diphtheria bacilli in their noses or throats. The families to which these
children belonged were kept under observation but no cases of diphtheria were
subsequently notified amongst the members thereof.
BACTERIOLOGICAL EXAMINATIONS.
During the year some 772 examinations were made by Dr. J. Andrew,
Pathologist, Metropolitan Hospital. Of these 447 were for suspected diphtheria
10 for enteric fever, 254 for tuberculosis, 1 for anthrax, and 29 for gonorrhoea,
Twenty-two Wassermann tests were made, and 1 sample of urine, 2 blood counts,
4 organisms, 1 P.M. specimens and 1 sample of pus were also examined. Positive
results were obtained in 71 of the examinations for diphtheria, 54 of those for tubercle
blacilli, 3 for enteric fever, 8 for gonorrhoea and in 4 of the Wassermann tests.
In addition it may be mentioned that some 693 bacteriological examinations
were made in connection with the work at the Tuberculosis Dispensary.
DISINFECTION.
The premises disinfected numbered 987; the articles removed and disinfected
at the Borough Disinfecting Station totalled 21,184, and included 902 beds,
1124 mattresses, 1,995 pillows, 610 bolsters, and 16,553 others, such as sheets,
blankets, quilts, curtains, carpets, clothing and the like. It was necessary to
destroy 2 pairs of mattresses and 2 beds which were so dilapidated and contaminated
as to render it inadvisable to return them. These were replaced with new. In
addition 30,802 blankets, and 214,941 articles of wearing apparel were disinfected
for trade purposes.
THE SHELTER.
The Shelter in Reeves Place, provided under the Public Health (London) Act,
1891, Section 60 (4), for the temporary accommodation of families in cases of
dangerous infectious disease to facilitate measures for disinfection, was not in use
during the year except on one occasion on account of vermin.
PUBLIC MORTUARY.
The bodies of 171 persons were received in the Mortuary during 1924. The
inquests held numbered 161 and the post mortems made 161, of which 84 were made
in the post mortem room attached to the Mortuary. No infectious bodies were
removed to the Mortuary by the Sanitary Authority during the year,