View report page

(5)
attention to the causes of Summer Diarrhoea, and the means to be taken by
householders to guard against this disease, which is so apt to prove fatal to the
young.
Zymotic Death Rate.—The total number of deaths from the seven principal
epidemic diseases, excluding the Belmont Asylum, was 26, viz.: 17 from Diarrhoea,
8 from Whooping Cough, and 1 from Diphtheria, giving a Zymotic Death-rate of
l.5 per thousand, as compared with 1.0, the average for the preceding ten years.
The rate for the whole of England and Wales during the year was 1.7.
As to the other Diseases which require Notification under the above Act.
Puerperal Fever.—No cases of this disease were notified during the year.
Erysipelas.—Seven cases of Erysipelas were notified. No deaths.
Continued Fever.—No cases 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, according to the nature of the case, 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 12 occasions during the year.
Bacteriological Diagnosis.—Fot 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
being defrayed by the Council.
Pulmonary Consumption and other Tubercular Diseases.—In cases in which
death occurs, or in which there has been removal of a patient suffering from
consumption the Sanitary Authority undertakes the disinfection of the rooms which
have been occupied whenever consent is given for the purpose. This has been done
on ten occasions during the year.
It has been the practice of this Council for some years to cause a veterinary
inspection of the cows kept by the registered cowkeepers in the district, so as to
prevent, if possible, the admission of milk from any animal suffering from tubercular
diseases into the general supply. Mr. Vincent, M R.C.V.S., was appointed for this
purpose, and in his reports, made quarterly during the year, has certified the whole
of the cows, averaging in number about 130, to have been in a healthy condition.
The interim report of the Royal Commission of Tuberculosis, recently issued,
proves the desirability of active inspection of cows, as the following extracts from
their summary shows :—
"There can be no doubt but that in a certain number of cases the tuberculosis
occurring in the human subject, especially in children, is the direct result of the
introduction into the human body of the bacillus of bovine tuberculosis ; and there
also can be no doubt that in the majority at least of these cases the bacillus is