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In this connection the valuable report of the Local Government Board on
???yster culture in reference to disease," is full of suggestion. Many of our cases have
???en imported from Southend, which is one of the favourite health resorts of our
pulation, while oysters and other molluscs form a well-patronized section of the
???aturday-night markets in various parts of the Borough.
Although the whole of the land proposed to be included in the hospital area at
???laistow had not been acquired, the Council decided to open two wards of the building
purchased from the Poplar Board of Works for the reception of cases of diphtheria. The
wards and associated offices having been repaired and renovated throughout and the
drainage system entirely reconstructed by the Borough Engineer, your Committee placed
upon the chairman (Councillor Hunns) and Councillor Threlford, in association with
myself, the task of undertaking the preliminary details of furnishing, &c. In July your
Committee appointed Dr. John Biernacki, medical superintendent, and Miss Minnie
Drakard, matron. These officers came into residence in September and under their
able supervision the final arrangements were conducted, and the two wards, containing
36 beds, were made ready for the reception of diphtheria cases by the 1st January, 1896.
The following memoranda, issued by the Local Government Board during the
year, are very pertinent to the foregoing clauses:—
ON THE PROVISION OF ISOLATION HOSPITAL ACCOMMODATION
BY LOCAL AUTHORITIES.
" English communities nowadays recognise the advantage of isolation
" hospitals as a means of preventing the spread of infectious diseases from
"persons who cannot be properly isolated in their own homes. But too often
" the provision of such hospitals is put off until some infectious disease is
immediately threatening or has actually invaded a district. It cannot be too
. " clearly understood that an isolation hospital, to fulfil its proper purpose of
"sanitary defence, ought to be in readiness beforehand. During the progress
"of an epidemic it is of little avail to set about hospital construction. The
mischief of allowing nfection to spread from first cases will already have been
"done, and this mischief cannot be repaired. Thus, hospitals provided during
"an epidemic are mainly of advantage to particular patients; they have little
"effect in staying the further spread of infection. Moreover, hospitals provided