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60
Spread of Infection in Hospitals
Although Sanitary Authorities are concerned about infections
wherever they may occur in their districts, the position of hospitals in
relation to the responsibilities of the authorities has not been very clear
and perhaps became even more confused in 1948 when most hospitals
became Government establishments. It seems to some that an outbreak
of an infectious disease in a hospital was regarded solely as a matter of
concern to the hospital itself. In a circular in 1952 the Minister had
reminded hospitals of the importance of sending early information to the
Medical Officer of Health of the district in which the hospital is situated
in the event of the occurrence of an infectious disease. In April, 1953,
the Minister issued a further circular to hospital authorities on the matter.
This refers to instances in which hospitals either failed to inform the
Medical Officer of Health of the occurrence of an infectious disease, or
had done so only after a considerable lapse of time. The circular said :
"Hospital authorities are asked to keep the Medical Officer of Health
fully informed of outbreaks of communicable diseases in hospital. The
Medical Officer of Health and his staff can give valuable help in maintaining
the highest standard of hygiene in hospitals and Boards and Committees
are recommended to take advantage of this." At the same time the
staff of hospital and clinical laboratories were asked to help the Medical
Officer of Health by ensuring that all information of epidemiological
importance reaches him, this being information not merely about the
notifiable diseases, but also about gastro-enteritis in infants and young
children, brucellosis, leptospirosis, infectious mononucleosis, etc., in
which there are public health aspects to be considered.
Disinfection
Steam disinfection of articles is carried out at the Washington
Lyon plant which was at the Hendon Rural Isolation Hospital, together
with the laundry. As steam was being raised each day for the laundry
it was available any time for use for the disinfecting plant. Even though
work on behalf of other bodies was being undertaken at the laundry, the
volume being treated had been reduced to such an extent that the Council
decided to discontinue running the laundry. This was done in the
summer. The effect, of course, is that the steam needed for the disinfecting
plant now has to be raised for this purpose alone, which makes
the process much more costly. The question of the future arrangements
for disinfection was still being looked into at the end of the year.
DIPHTHERIA
Five persons suspected to be suffering from diphtheria were removed
to hospital. In none of the cases was the diagnosis confirmed, the
illness in four instances being glandular fever. The district then has been
free from this disease for three years. During the six years since the end
of 1947 there have been two cases only, one a nasal, the other a faucial
infection.
Although it can be accepted that the freedom of this district from
diphtheria is only partly due to the extent to which the population has