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25
NOTIFIABLE INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
945 cases of Infectious Disease were notified during the year,
as against 684 in the previous year. This number is the largest
since 1909, 966 cases being notified in that year and 1,634 in 1908.
Of the cases notified, 420 occurred during the last three months
of the year.
This, in my opinion, was largely due to the long spell of dry,
dusty weather in the autumn. It will be seen how Infectious
Diseases may be spread when one notices the amount of dust,
which may be loaded with micro-organisms, is disturbed by the
traffic along the main streets, especially by the motor bus.
This dust settles on uncovered fruit, vegetables, meat and
other articles of diet which are exposed for sale outside shops.
It has also occurred to me, when walking down the streets,
that infection may be spread by what is a very common
occurrence, viz., food-stuffs, such as rashers of bacon, meat, etc.,
being freely handled by would-be purchasers who may be carriers
of disease.