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

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Walthamstow 1904

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Walthamstow]

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35
INFECTIOUS DISEASES AND MEASURES
TAKEN TO PREVENT THEIR SPREAD
The 975 notified cases of Infectious Diseases as set forth in Tables
XIII. and XIV., represent infection in 841 different houses, and a visit
was paid in every instance by a Sanitary Inspector, followed by the
usual routine of precautionary and preventive measures as in former years.
Handbills were distributed to the householders where hospital accommodation
could not be found for the sufferer, and special instructions
were issued in cases of Typhoid as in 1903.
Where children are attending school from an infected house, notification
is sent to the Head Teachers, and such children are excluded.
Instructions are also given that the children of the family may be kept
apart from their neighbours.'
Any clothing made at the premises is carefully disinfected before
removal; the Medical Officer of Health of the district whither the work
is sent is notified, and no further work is taken in until the house is
free from infection.
As far as our limited accommodation would allow, Scarlatina and
Diphtheria patients were removed to the Sanatorium for treatment and
isolation.
Following the recovery or removal of the patients the houses were
thoroughly disinfected. A small percentage of cases occurred subsequent
to disinfection, but it is impossible to say if such were due to
imperfect disinfection or other causes. I believe other causes largely
contributed. It is most difficult to get parents to give up every article
of infected clothing for removal, and it is not uncommon to find dirty
underclothing brought for the children who are about to be discharged
from the Sanatorium. Where secondary cases arise after disinfection
the parents are, in my opinion, mainly responsible, as Mr. West assures
me that the work under his supervision is thoroughly done.
All the disinfections during the year have been carried out by your
servants, and I am greatly indebted to the ready acquiescence of my
medical confreres to your wishes in this respect. A few certificates of
private disinfections were withdrawn by the doctors issuing them when
your desires were made known to them, and the work was subsequently
done by your staff.
Outfits for early Diphtheria and Typhoid diagnosis are still kept at
the Town Hall, and anti-diphtheritic serum for gratuitous injection for
those unable to pay is supplied.