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13
Mr. Wrack's Report.—Small Pox.
Since the 6th November, 1876, to the 10th February (inclusive), 52
cases of small-pox (in 46 houses) have occurred in the North District. Of
this number, 35 were reported by the Relieving Officers of the Union, 4 were
from private information, and 13 were discovered by the Inspector.
In 11 of the houses in which small-pox had occurred, it was ascertained
that 28 children were being sent to various Schools in the District, while the
disease existed in their homes. In each case the parents were cautioned not
to send their children to School during the prevalence of the epidemic in
their houses; and information was at once given to the School Masters and
Mistresses of the several Schools at which the children attended.
In each case the premises have been disinfected with sulphurous acid
gas, and Notices served upon the owners of the houses to thoroughly cleanse
the walls and ceilings, which have been carried out.
Fever.
From the 30th November, 1876, to the 10th February, 1877 (inclusive),
3 cases of fever have been recorded. The rooms in which these cases occurred
have been disinfected in the same manner as where small-pox had occurred.
Disinfectants.
The question has been often asked what is the best disinfectant to be
used for preventing the spreading of infectious diseases, or in other words,
which shall have the effect of destroying the specific poison of such
diseases.
The question has been well considered by Dr. Baxter, in his Report on
an Experimental Study of certain Disinfectants, which is published at p. 216
in No. 61 of the New Series of the Reports by the Medical Officer of the
Privy Council and Local Government Board. In this Report the results of
numerous experiments on the efficacy of the several disinfectants commonly
in use, viz.: carbolic acid, sulphur dioxyde, potassic permanganate, or
chlorine, are given. From these, Dr. Baxter arrives at certain conclusions,
among which are the following: ]. "Aerial disinfection, as commonly
practised in the sick room, is either useless or positively objectionable, owing
to the false sense of security it is calculated to produce. To make the air of
a room smell strongly of carbolic acid by scattering carbolic powder about the
floor, or of chlorine, by placing a tray of chloride of lime in a corner, is, so
far as the destruction of specific contagion is concerned, an utterly futile
proceeding." 2. "The use of carbolic vapour should be abandoned, owing
to the relative feebleness and uncertainty of its action. Whether chlorine
or sulphur dioxyde be chosen, it is desirable that the space to be disinfected
should be kept saturated with the gas for a certain time; not less than an
hour." 3. "Dry heat, when it can be applied, is probably the most
efficient of all disinfectants. Care must be taken so as to submit every