INFECTIOUS DISEASES.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 June 1916, Page 7

INFECTIOUS DISEASES.

HEALTH'OFFICER'S REPORT. With reference to the outbreaks of infectious diseases In the town, the inspector (Mr. A. II: Kendall) reported to the meeting of the Hospital Board yesterday as follows: "During the month 32 cases of infectious disease were notified in the district as follows: One case each of scarlet fever and diphtheria in the Taranaki county; three cases of scarlet fever, twenty-two cases of diphtheria, one case of enteric fever, and two .cases of tuberculosis in New Plymouth; one case of scarlet fever in Waitara; and one case I of scarlet fever in the Clifton County. Over thirty-two premises were disinfected during the month. The unfoi'tunate continued outbreak of diphtheria iu the district has been the subject of special investigation by the District Health Officer (Dr. Sydney Smith, M.D.), who made a special visit to New 'Plymouth during the month, and T have also reported to the chairman immediately prior to the visit of or. Smith. Three j of the twenty-two cases of diphtheria were notified, from New.Plymouth since the visit of Dr. Smith, and two of the three patients were adults. The doctor advised the continued closing oE the schools until the 28th inst. and also other measures—upon which, I believe, he has made a special report to your Board —to cope with the outbreak, all matters- in connection with which were the subject of a very olose and searching investigation by the doctor, and I am of opinion that the continued disinfection of all. places of public assembly, tramcars and other public vehicles, at least once a week, together with the iinore important measures recommended by the docotr, should do much to reduce, if not effectually eradicate, the virulence of the outbreak."

HEALTH OFFICER'S' RF.PORT. Dr. Smith stated that since the beginning of the year there had been 73 cases, apart from a number of cases in other parts of the district. "There, is nothing to indicate that there is a common source of infection in

the milk supply, other foodstuffs, water supply or drainage. There have been, roughly, two areas affected —the West End area, adjacent to the valley of the Mangotuku stream, and in the upper part of Courtenay Street, Leach Street, and Lemon Street. These areas surround i the West End, Convent, and Central schools respectively. Though the lowlying'damp area about the Mangotuku may have predisposed to the condition,

I have no doubt whatever that the main factor in the spread of the disease is the aggregation together of the children in schools, for, out of the 73 cases, 62 were in school children, and I 'the greater portion of this number were in attendance at the West End, Convent, and Central schools. There is every probability that a number of eases have returned to school whilst still infectious, that is to say, they carry the germ of the disease in their throat, and, that being so, the spread from scholar to scholar may readily take place l>y means of pencils, drinking vessels, etc., and also by means of sneezing, to the open air."

Dr. Smith said he had written to the secretary of the Education Board, asking him *to carry out certain prophylactic measures in the various schools. He had recommended that the schools be closed until the 2Gth inst.. by which date any cases which were now incubating would 'be diagnosed. In addition, a swab would be taken during the coming year from the throat of every child who had had

the disease. By this means he hoped to eliminate two or three carriers. In

iture, no child who had suffered from

diphtheria would be readmitted to school until he presented a certificate showing that a bacteriological examination of his

throat had shown him to be free from infection. As it had been shown that isolation at home had broken down in several instances and re-infection had occurred, he would be glad if the Board would make provision for isolation of every case of diphtheria while the present epidemic continued-, as he intended to cause all such cases to be sent into hospital, pursuant to the provisions of section 33 of the Public Health Act.

The chairman reported that a system was now in operation by which the Board immediately informs the Council of any notification of infectious disease received. Mr. Kendall was engaged, with the Borough Council Committee, in carrying out Dr. Smith's instructions, and everything possible was being done to stamp the epidemic out.