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73
“John D.s family, I may mention, consisting, till last week, of six
persons, occupied two basement rooms (kitchens) only, and the
spread of disease therefore was practically inevitable ; I have reason
to believe that he would have consented to the removal of the children
had he been placed en rapport with my Department."
I am, Sir, &c.
Formal acknowledgment was made of the letter, but nothing
appeared to come of it.
A similar letter was addressed to the Chief Commissioner of
Police, making the same request, police regulations in respect
of infectious diseases, requiring notification to the Departmental
Authorities, being the same as in the Post Office. The letter
was not acknowledged, but, as will appear, action was taken
in the matter.
In my last monthly report for 1882 (page 94), I had occasion
to refer to other cases of scarlet fever connected with the Police
and Postal Services, and the report, by direction of your Vestry,
was sent to the Postmaster General and to the Chief Commissioner
of Police. It was felt desirable that notification and,
when necessary, removal of such cases as I have described,
should be carried out, in the interests of the sick themselves,
as well as for the public good from the sanitary and
economic point of view equally, since the retention of them
at home, without possibility of isolation, is dangerous to the
public, who moreover are called on to pay wages to men
who cannot render services, not being allowed, as a rule, to
go on duty while infectious disease exists in their houses.
In forwarding the report your Clerk under date January 23,
wrote as follows:—
“I avail myself of the present opportunity to remind you of
the letter which the Medical Officer of Health addressed to the
Postmaster General, on the subject of infectious diseases, on the
30th October last; and, as representing the Sanitary Authority, to
endorse the Medical Officer.s application for the co.operation of the
Post Office Authorities in measures to secure the isolation of cases of
infectious illness occurring in the families of Post Office employes.
Notification of disease, alone, would be of service, but, still more, the
assistance of the Post Office Authorities to facilitate the removal of