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24
During the year there have been 21 cases notified voluntarily by
medical practitioners. The houses of these patients, as well as of
those certified as suffering from this disease in the monthly returns
received from the Clerk to the Guardians, have been visited and
advice given to the inmates as to precautionary measures that
should be adopted. In several instances rooms have been disinfected
which have been previously occupied by patients suffering
from this disease, and in every instance where a death has been
registered as due to this disease, the rooms and articles liable to
retain infection have been disinfected, the bedding and such like
articles having been sent to Mogden for this purpose.
MEASURES TAKEN TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF INFECTIOUS
DISEASES.
The ordinary routine followed when a case of infectious disease
is notified has been explained in a previous report.
When a case of infectious disease is notified, as soon as possible
the Medical Officer or Sanitary Inspector calls at the house and
investigates the possibility, or otherwise, of the case being isolated
at home. If the Medical Officer of Health considers it is to the
interest of the community that the patient should be removed to
the Isolation Hospital, advice to this effect is accordingly given.
If the patient remains at home, printed particulars as to isolation,
disinfection, &c., together with a short epitome of the law bearing
on the subject, are left at the house. During the period of illness
periodic visits are made by the Sanitary Inspector to see that the
instructions are being complied with. An addressed postcard is
also left for the medical attendant to sign and forward at the termination
of the illness, when he considers the house is ready for
disinfection. Full particulars of the patient and other occupants of
the house, number of rooms, condition of premises, milk supply and
other matters bearing on the possible origin of the disease are
entered on special printed forms and filed in the Health Office.