View report page

26
Notifiable Infectious Diseases.
of the Medical Officer of Health. Whilst the majority of Head
Teachers, I am pleased to say, act with promptitude in reporting the
cases, some of them fail to appreciate their responsibilities in these
matters. A school cannot be expected to be other than a potent
agent in the spread of infectious disease unless there is this
co-operation between Head Teachers and the Public Health
Department.
PNEUMONIA.
The number of cases notified in 1921 was 29, contrasted with
67, 35 and 34 respectively in 1919, 1920 and 1921. Priorto 1919 the
disease was not notifiable.
Cases notified from the homes of families in poor circumstances
are visited by the Health Visitors, and where the conditions are
such that a case cannot receive appropriate nursing and treatment
at home, the patient is removed to the Isolation Hospital for
treatment, providing there is accommodation at the time.
PUERPERAL FEVER.
One case of Puerperal Fever was notified during the year, and
the case proved fatal.
The notifications for each of the preceding 5 years numbered
0, 3, 2, 4 and 0 respectively.
ERYSIPELAS.
Six cases only of Erysipelas were notified, and 1 death occurred
from this disease.
The number of notifications for each of the previous 5 years
being 8, 2, 13, 13 and 6 respectively.
OPHTHALMIA NEONATORUM.
Three cases of Ophthalmia Neonatorum were notified, contrasted
with 3, 3, 2, 3 and 1 respectively in the previous 5 years.
Two of the cases were treated in Hospital, and, fortunately, no
impairment of vision resulted in either of the cases notified.
Ophthalmia Neonatorum is an inflammation of the eyes of
newly-born infants, the eyes becoming infected at the time of birth
or subsequently by conveyance of infection from the hands of the
mother or nurse. The disease is to be regarded with the utmost