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“between hospitals and notification, I should unhesitatingly choose
hospitals; for this reason, among others, that the existence of
hospitals leads, almost inevitably, to voluntary notification;
whereas even compulsory notification has comparatively little
value if such means of isolation does not exist.
PUBLIC AUTHORITIES AND NOTIFICATION OF
INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
In my Annual Report for 1882 I referred to a letter which I
had myself addressed to the Postmaster.General, with reference to
the desirability of instructions being given to Postal District Medical
Officers and Postal employes to notify the occurrence of infectious
disease in such employes. The letter arose out of an outbreak of
scarlet fever in the family of a letter carrier, involving the occurrence
of seven cases and three deaths in one house. The illnesses
extended over a period of two months, during which the letter
carrier was off duty. The facts of the outbreak were known to
the Department, but 110 report of it having been made to me, the
first intimation I received of the existence of the disease was on
the registration of a death. The occurrence of other similar cases
in the families of persons connected with the Police and Postal
services, subsequently gave rise to a correspondence between your
Vestry and the public authorities referred to. Prior to the time in
question it appeared that the Chief Commissioner had issued a
Memorandum on the subject, as follows:—
“ Sick: Infectious Diseases, March 7, 1882.—On the occurrence
of infectious disease in the residence of a police.officer, the Divisional
Surgeon is to visit the premises to verify the fact, and to see that
the parish authorities receive due notice, so that the rooms and their
contents be properly disinfected. A report from the Divisional Surgeon
is also to be submitted—Whether, in his opinion, the case ought to be
removed to the Fever Hospital ?
“ The diseases to be recorded as infectious are small.pox, typhus,
scarlet fever and diphtheria. In cases where the Divisional Surgeon
thinks it necessary that a police.officer, in whose residence infectious
disease has broken out, should be absent from duty, leave will be
allowed by the Commissioners on the Divisional Surgeon's certificate
from week to week.”
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