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30
PREVALENCE OF, AND CONTROL OVER,
ACUTE INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
During the year 1,507 cases of Infectious Diseases were notified.
Each house invaded was visited, and enquires were made as to the
probable sources of infection.
All the Scarlet Fever and Diphtheria patients isolated at the Sanatorium
were removed under the care of the Nurse, and the Typhoid
patients were received into the local General Hospital, where two beds
are at the disposal of your Authority. The cases of Acute Pneumonia
went to the Hospital or Infirmary.
Cases of Erysipelas are seldom removed to Hospital except by the
Poor-Law Authorities.
In many instances persons are notified as suffering from this disease,
and when visited are surprised to learn that they are suffering from an
illness necessitating a visit from the Public Health Authority.
Full instructions, verbally and in writing, as to the precautions to be
taken against the spreading of infection, are given to the persons in
charge of home-nursed cases. This is supplemented by revisits, to
ensure that the instructions given are carried out.
When necessary or desirable, Medical Officers of other districts are
notified of the possibility of infection spreading through other members
of the family.
Children from infected homes and contacts are not permitted to
attend the Day or Sunday Schools for varying periods. The Superintendents
of the latter invariably co-operate in this exclusion.
It would be an advantage if compulsory powers were in force to
prevent such children going to parties and cinemas and to maintain
segregation in their own homes until the incubation period was passed.
At the beginning of each school term the Head Teachers are advised
to examine the children for any signs of recent illness indicative of
Scarlet Fever or Diphtheria, and to exclude all suspects until seen
by me.
Records are kept to show the incidence of these and other diseases
at each School, and, when necessary, particular class-rooms are visited,
and children with suspicious symptoms are excluded. Disinfection of
the cloak-rooms of the Elementary Schools is carried out, when such
procedure is considered necessary or desirable.
The provisions as to work in infected dwellings are enforced in
accordance with the Factory and Workshop Act, 1901.
Following removal or recovery, disinfection of premises was carried
out by the Council's employees, and all infected clothing, bedding, etc.,
were treated by steam under pressure.