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76
And finally a third memorandum was issued in January,
1883, shortly after the despatch of your Clerk.s letter, as
follows:—
“Sick: Infectious Diseases.—Referring to Police Orders, 7th of
March last, under this head.—When the Divisional Surgeon reports in
accordance with that order that he considers a member of a police.
officer.s family ought to be removed to the Fever Hospital, the case is
to be reported to the Parochial Authorities. Certificates of admission
to the Fever Hospital are to be issued to police.officers only.
The second memorandum required the occurrence of an
infectious disease in the residence of a police.officer to be reported
to the Medical Officer of Health, irrespective of the
question whether the sick person was, or could be, properly
isolated. By the third memorandum such report, in respect of
a member of the family, appears to be required only when the
Divisional Surgeon is of opinion that the sick person ought to be
removed to hospital; the Divisional Surgeon apparently being
relieved from the obligation to report cases when the sick (in
his opinion) can be safely treated at home. Such cases, I
fear, having regard to the circumstances of police.officers.
families, would not be very numerous. Many or few, your
Vestry will readily assume the responsibility of removing them
when able : hitherto the cause for regret has been our ignorance
of the occurrence of such cases, and it may be doubted whether
under the January memorandum we are likely to be much
better off. in respect of information.
The occurrence of scarlet fever in the families of two men
employed in the service of the Gas Light and Coke Company,
at their Kensal Works, led to a correspondence with the Secretary,
and afterwards with the Medical Officer, of the Company.
To the Secretary I wrote as follows:—
“Will you kindly inform me whether the Gas Light and Coke
Company have laid down any rules in respect of their employes in
relation to infectious diseases ? In the post office and police, no man
is allowed to go to his work while any member of his family is ill of an