View report page

19
There is, however, not the slightest evidence in proof of
the suggestion of the Committee, that the disinfection of
infected articles is inefficiently carried out in this parish.
True, the disinfection is done by a Contractor, and although
as I have stated in a report to the Vestry, "it cannot be
regarded as entirely satisfactory that the arrangements for
disinfection should be in other hands than of those who are
responsible for the prevention of disease, there can be no
doubt but that the work is thoroughly well done, and the
existing plan has the advantage that it is always equal to any
demands made upon it, whatever the amount of work
required to be done, be it great or small."
The portion of the Committee's report giving the
Abstract of the Replies of the Medical Superintendents of
the Board's Fever Hospitals to the enquiries of the SubCommittee,
as to what precautions are taken with the
patients before the discharge, is eminently satisfactory, and
it is evident that every precaution is taken by the Medical
Superintendents to insure as far as possible that no patient
shall be discharged until free from infection. But that a
certain number of these "return" cases should occur seems
to be unavoidable, for their occurrence in a certain proportion
is universal wherever hospital isolation is practised.
As Dr. Caiger, the Medical Superintendent of the South
Western Hospital, remarks: "We are unfortunately unable
to sterilise a human being by passing him through a steam
disinfector as one does his clothes, and I am firmly convinced
that until infection can be demonstrated as a visible quantity,
even with the exercise of the greatest care on the part of
Hospital and Sanitary Officers alike, the so.called return
cases will from time to time arise.
Diphtheria and Membranous Croup.
368 cases of Diphtheria and 18 of Membranous Croup,
which is identical with Laryngeal Diphtheria, were notified
during the year, as against 96, 250 and 342 in the three
preceding years.