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The infected bird usually looks sick and drooping. There is a nasal
catarrh and the shoulder feathers are dull and roughened. The Ministry of
Health has publised a practical leaflet on this disease, as follows:—
Precautionary Measures.
Nothing in the recent occurrences gives any ground for apprehending
danger from domestic parrots or other cage birds of the parrot family which
have been kept in a household for many months or years apart from any
introduction of new birds.
On the other hand, this cannot be said as confidently in regard to most
newly-purchascd birds. In view of the publicity which the occurrence of
psittacosis has received lately in the Press, the public is likely for the present
to be chary in buying birds which have recently arrived in this country, or
whose history is unknown to the purchaser. Until further investigations have
cleared the situation, this caution is not unreasonable.
Persons owning these pets would in any case be wise:—
(a) to pay attention to strict cleanliness of the cage and protection of food
and water from fouling by the birds;
(b) to remove immediately any birds that fall sick from contact with
healthy birds, afterwards carefully scrubbing and disinfecting the
floor of the cage, the perches, the brushes and other articles used in
attending to the birds, so as to avoid infection of the healthy birds;
(c) to remember that habits of fondling and petting, sometimes practised
with parrots which have lived with them a long time, may be
dangerous when applied to newly-acquired birds.
The next report, for the year 1930, will be a Survey Report. In this
report a general description of the progress and change in the Borough during
the preceding five years will be given. In addition, any special schemes of the
Borough Council or the Ministry of Health will be set out in detail together
with a general resume of the whole of the Public Health work in Stepney.
In conclusion, T have to express my indebtedness to all the members of my
staff for their loyalty and faithfulness in carrying out their respective duties.
I have the honour to be,
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Your obedient servant,
J. M. Browne,
Medical Officer of Health and
Administrative Tuberculosis Officer.
Population.
The resident population of the Borough of Stepney for 1929 is given as
241,800 by the Registrar General, which is 2,200 less than the previous year.
The official estimation of the population each year shows a decrease from the
census of 1921 of 7,938.