London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Surbiton 1897

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Surbiton]

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tribution. A visit to the premises was made with
no result, and a close inspection of the cow-sheds
and of the employees was also made.
A sewer was being laid in the road outside
the farm, and for a limited period there was a
smell to be noticed ; but it was unlikely that this
could have so far affected the milk (since it was
not kept stored on the premises near this road), as
to render it in any way dangerous to health.
A man whose business it was to milk the
cows was examined and found to be out of health
and suffering from well-marked tonsillitis and
gastrodynia, and further with suppurating whitlows
on the hands. He was of course immediately
discontinued from any employment with
the cows, and no further cases occurred.
There were considerably over thirty cases
of illness—some very severe—under my notice, and
probably many more. The employer gave me
every possible assistance, and every facility towards
discovering the cause of the outbreak; and
I am able to say that in my opinion he was in no
way to blame for the occurrence. Knowing how
readily exaggerated reports are spread, and prejudice
unjustly excited, I did not report the particulars
of this outbreak at the time, though a
special report of the occurrence was made to the
Council as a matter of course.
Trees.
It will be within the recollection of the
Council that there was some feeling created
with regard to the trees in the district, and
the action taken thereon. Some years ago I
dealt with this subject in one of my reports
and also on a special occasion, the gist of my
remarks being exactly what I would say again
now. It is not the trees in the roads, whether
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