View report page

23
Acute primary, and acute influenzal, Pneumonia are
regularly notified by medical practitioners.
No cases of Malaria, Dysentery, or Trench Fever have
occurred in the district during the period 1921—1925.
Pathological and bacterial specimens are examined
for the Council by the Clinical Research Association, and
swabbings of all contacts in case of Diphtheria, and
specimens for the detection of Tubercle Bacilli, are
investigated free of charge by the Council.
Antitoxin is supplied free to medical practitioners
applying for it.
Premises in which infectious disease has occurred
are disinfected by means of formaldehyde gas, and spraying
with formalin solution. This is done free of charge
to occupiers. Disinfectants are supplied free in case of
infectious disease. Rooms that have been occupied by
Cancerous or Tuberculous patients are disinfected in the
same way.
No use has been made of the Schick and Dick tests
in Diphtheria and Scarlet Fever respectively, or the
recently developed artificial methods of immunization
against these diseases.
No primary vaccinations or revaccinations have been
performed by me under the Public Health (Small-pox
Prevention) Regulations, 1917.
The death rate per 1,000 population from Influenza
during the past five years has been as follows:— 1921,
.37; 1922,.29; 1923,.36; 1924, .43 ; and 1925, .21.
Chicken Pox has been notifiable in the district since
1922, and, in view of the large number of cases of Smallpox
still in the country, and the liability of this disease
being overlooked, I still consider it very necessary to
continue with its notification.
In my Annual Report for 1923, I made reference to
the danger of Whooping Cough to the community, and
to the prevalent practice, due in most cases to foolish
advice given, of taking patients Out of doors in all
weathers. To dispel this fallacy, and to better educate
our mothers, I drew up a circular of instruction dealing
with the salient points in connection with this disease,
and this was distributed to each householder in the
district.