INFECTIOUS DISEASES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 61, 24 October 1907, Page 2

INFECTIOUS DISEASES.

DEPARTMENTAL PROSECUTIONS. In the S.M. Court yesterday morning, before Jlv. 11. S. I'tzherbert, S.M., eluirges of breaches of the provisions of the Public ilcsiith .'vet were preferred

against two local residents. The lirst defendant was llr. Fookes, who had neglected to notify to the Health Department a ease of scarlet fever on the day upon which he became aware of the nature. of the disease.

Mr Kerr prosecuted for the Health Department, and Mr Quilliam appeared for the defence.

The defendant pleaded guilty, and Mr Quilliam explained the circumstances. It was incumbent upon a doctor attending a case of infectious disease, and incumiiieiit upon the chemist and upon the occupier upon whose premises the disease is found, to report stra'ghtway to the health authorities. In this case Dr Fookes received a call upon August Bth to attend a young woman at the Taranaki Hotel. She ■was found to be suffering from a sore throat, and ho deferred 'diagnosis until next day to allow the symptoms to develop. He warned the landlady not to allow anyone else to visit the sick-, room On August, 9th, lie diagnosed the else as one of scarlet fever, an infectious disease, and immediately had the patient removed in an open eon- ■ veyanco to the isolation ward at the hospital. He gave instructions to Mrs Julian to thoroughly fumigate tno room, and this was done. The local sanitary inspector also disinfected the room, which the licensee kept empty for the next fortnight. No bad results had followed.

Mr Kerr: We don't allege any. Mr Quilliam said it was hard to sea than any benefit could accrue by notifying a man in Wellington of a ease of scarlet fever in New Plymouth, and added that the reason why Dr Fookes did not notify the case until twenty days afterwards was because he thought it would have been notified by the hospital authorities. Mr Kerr stated the action was the outcome of the Borough Council's resolution drawing Departmental attention to breaches of the Act. It was necessary to notify the Department so that an inspection of premises could immediately be made. 111 some cases this wa.s absolutely necessary on account of the insanitary surroundings. In answer to the Bench, Dr Frengley said scarlet fever was not gazetted as a "dangerous" infectious disease. Tlie prosecutor not pressing for a heavy penaly, but merely desiring publicity, a line of 5s and costs ( £1 10s) was inflicted. ' H. J, Julian, the householder, who had also failed to notify the case, was fined Is and costs'(£l 8s). The Magistrate stated hat future cases would not be so leniently treated.