View report page

ZYMOTIC DISEASES.
Zymotic diseases are those infectious or contagious diseases
which are such a scourge to this country ; when the population
of districts is small they are more easily dealt with, but when
they occur in large closely-built and populous neighbourhoods
like our own, it is extremely difficult to prevent their spread,
when we have anything like an epidemic; the fact that any
cases of Small Pox, Fevers, or Diphtheria, whether pauper or
non-pauper can be received in the Asylums' Board's Hospitals
at any time, prevents in a great measure the spread of these
diseases; the treatment which the patient receives in these
Public Institutions is so efficient and the frequent notification to
their friends of their condition from time to time, has helped to
break down the prejudice that at first existed, and so we are
enabled to take away from many homes the centre of infection
and thus prevent other members of the same family, or persons
living in the same house from running the risk of being attacked
with these diseases.
SMALL POX.
We have had ten cases reported during the year. The first
case was that of a woman who went to the London Hospital
and was removed to the Hospital Ships, I visited the home of
the patient and found that she had occupied one room with
her two children, these children had been removed to the
Workhouse Infirmary suffering from a rash; 1 at once communicated
with the Medical Officer of the Workhouse but found