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166
1907
INFECTIOUS DISEASE ON BUSINESS PREMISES.
It has been the custom of the Medical Officer of Health for a very long
period to draw attention annually to the fact that a considerable number of
cases of the notifiable infectious diseases are discovered on business premises
where either clothing is made or food is prepared and sold.
During the year to which this report refers as many as 260 cases of
infectious disease were discovered on business premises, on which the following
businesses, besides many others in smaller numbers, a full list of which is given
in the Table CX., were conducted:—
Artificial Teeth Making 5
Blousemaking 4
Bakers 5
Boxmaking 3
Bootmaking 9
Confectioners 10
Dressmaking 11
Greengrocers 11
General Dealing 6
Laundry 10
Mangling 4
Milkshop 9
Newsagent 5
Public House 10
From these particulars one can judge how necessary it is that precautions
should be taken in these cases and that unless there is absolutely no possibility
of the disease being conveyed from the patient, that he should be removed
from the premises and isolated in hospital.
In dealing with those cases in houses where wearing apparel is made,
especially in the case of Small Pox and Scarlet Fever, section 109 of the Factory
and Workshop Act has been always found of the greatest assistance, for it provides
that " if the occupier of a factory or workshop or any place from which work
is given out, or any contractor employed by any such occupier, causes or
allows wearing apparel to be made, cleaned or repaired, in any dwelling house
or building occupied therewith, whilst any inmate of the dwelling house is
suffering from scarlet fever or small pox, then, unless he proves that he was
not aware of the existence of the illness in the dwelling house, and could not
reasonably have been expected to become aware of it, he shall be liable to
a fine not exceeding £10."
It need hardly be said that such a stringent clause as this has a very
quickening effect on people who are anxious to retain the patient at home.
The return as set out in Table CX., shows that 164 cases of Scarlet
Fever, 51 cases of Diphtheria, 22 Enteric Fever, 22 cases of Erysipelas and
1 of Continued Fever were discovered on business premises.