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55
SECTION VI.
PREVALENCE OF, AND CONTROL OVER, ACUTE
INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
During the year 997 cases of Infectious Diseases were notified.
Each house invaded was visited, and enquiries were made as to
the probable sources of infection.
All the Scarlet Fever and Diphtheria patients isolated at the
Sanatorium were removed under the care of a Nurse, and Typhoid
patients are received into the local General Hospital, where two
beds are at the disposal of your Authority. The cases of Acute
Pneumonia went to the Hospital or Infirmary.
Cases of Erysipelas are seldom removed to Hospital except by
the Poor-Law Authorities.
In many instances persons are notified as suffering from this
disease, and when visited are surprised to learn that they are
suffering from an illness necessitating a visit from the Public Health
Authority.
Full instructions, verbally and in writing, as to the precautions
to be taken against the spreading of infection, are given to the
persons in charge of home-nursed cases. This is supplemented by
revisits, to ensure that the instructions given are carried out.
When necessary or desirable, Medical Officers of other districts
are notified of the possibility of infection spreading through other
members of the family.
Children from infected homes and contacts are not permitted to
attend the Day or Sunday Schools for varying periods. The
Superintendents of the latter invariably co-operate in this exclusion.
It would be an advantage if compulsory powers were in force to
prevent such children going to parties and cinemas and to maintain
segregation in their own homes until the incubation period was
passed.
At the beginning of each school term the Head Teachers are
advised to examine the children for any signs of recent illness
indicative of Scarlet Fever or Diphtheria, and to exclude all suspects
until seen by me.
Records are kept to show the incidence of these and other diseases
at each School, and, when necessary, particular class-rooms are