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32
the diseases which have to be notified, two of the, if not the
most important at all events in supplying by far the larger
number of deaths, and left out, namely, Measles and Whooping
Cough. From the latter, no less than iii fatal cases were
returned; whilst from all the others under notification, there
were but 32, leaving a balance to the credit of Measles, and
Whooping Cough of 79, a fact which will at once attract the
notice of those who take an interest in this subject ; and, I may
further say, that this is not only the case this year, but is
invariably so. The great benefit derived from this Act is that
your Officers are at once made acquainted with the first case
which occurs, and are enabled to take such measures as may be
necessary for the immediate stamping out of the disease, and so
prevent its dissemination by actual contact with the sick and
healthy. As the Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee
remarked, a bucket of water would prevent a fire at the first
onset, which subsequently would take many fire engines.
Ambulance The facility given for the immediate removal of
Service. persons suffering from Infectious disease have made
rapid strides during the year; the old routine to which so
many persons objected of first applying to the Relieving
Officer has, with the exception of Paupers, been abandoned,
and any medical practitioner can sign a certificate, have it
conveyed to the Sanitary Inspector, and the case is at once
dealt with. The Asylums Board also permit their Ambulances
to be used by persons suffering from dangerous infectious
disease, for their conveyance to places other than the
Board's Hospitals, but for this a fee is charged; this charging
of a fee is, I think, a mistake, and is under the consideration
of the Asylums Board for remission.
As the removal of infected persons is of such vital importance,
I append for general information the regulations necessary to be
followed in each case:—