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(4)
As to the other Diseases which require Notification under the above Act.
Membranous Croup.—No notified cases.
Puerperal Fever.—No deaths or reported cases..
Erysipelas.—Five cases of erysipelas were notified during the year. No deaths.
Continued Fever.—No cases were notified.
Summary of further proceedings which were taken to prevent the
spread of some of these diseases.
Each house, on receipt of notification of infectious disease existing therein, is
immediately visited, and isolation or removal to Isolation Hospital insisted on as
may be requisite; the premises are examined, and notice given to remedy any
defects that may be found; information as regards the milk supply, laundry, schools
attended by children, etc., is obtained, and necessary steps taken to prevent the
disease spreading by these means; disinfectants for use during illness are supplied
where necessary; after the recovery or removal of a patient the disinfection of the
rooms and contents is required, bedding, clothing, etc., being taken to the Isolation
Hospital for disinfection in the Washington Lyon Steam Disinfector.
In all cases where infection seems to point to schools, they are visited and the
children inspected, which has been necessary on seven occasions during the year.
Bacteriological Diagnosis.—For the purpose of assisting in the diagnosis of
doubtful cases of enteric fever and diphtheria, the necessary materials for taking
specimens are supplied to the medical practitioners by the Sanitary Authority, and
may be obtained at the Municipal Offices; the cost of examination of the specimens
by the Lister Institute being defrayed by the Council. This has been taken
advantage of frequently, and has proved of great service, as in previous years.
Pulmonary Consumption and other Tubercular Diseases.—Although these
diseases are not notifiable under the Act, they are without doubt infectious, and
persons having charge of consumptive patients should be aware of this, and of the
means to be taken to prevent such infection. Circulars have been sent to medical
practitioners, calling attention to the Sanitary Authority's willingness to cause the
disinfection, free of charge, of all rooms vacated by consumptives; this has been
carried out in five cases during the year as compared with three in the previous year.
Mr. Vincent, M.R.C.V.S., veterinary surgeon, is appointed by the Council to
make periodical inspections of the cows kept by the registered cowkeepers, so as to
prevent, if possible, any milk likely to infect the consumers thereof with tubercular
disease, from being used, and in each report made quarterly during the year, the
cows, averaging in number about 120, have been certified by him to be in a healthy
condition.
The rooms of three persons dying of Cancer have been disinfected on the
request of the occupiers.
IV.—Summary of other Sanitary Proceedings, &c., which were
taken during the year.
Housing of the Working Classes.—During the year the usual regular periodic
inspection of the homes of the working people has been carried on with vigour, and
the many necessary minor defects from wear and tear, and insanitary conditions
resulting from want of cleanliness, where found, were caused to be remedied.