SCARLET FEVER.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3906, 6 July 1881, Page 2

SCARLET FEVER.

(To the Editor of the Evening Stab.)

Sir, —Every one is aware that this fearfully contagious disease is at jtrreseut in our midst. At the present time lender* stand that three children in one :tWfliily are attacked with it. .As in- the case of alleged leprosy, the Board of Health do not seem to exert themselves iii ascertaining the cause of the outbreak, and I would therefore make.the following suggestions :—ln large cities at Home, such as Glasgow, Edinburgh, Birmingham, &c, the population is so dense that it is the imperative duty of the Health Officers to use every means to trace the disease to the fountain bead. This they have done, after patient search, and have found that milk has- bee.n "the primary cause of the epidemic. On the Thames cows are, to a great ejttentj fed on grains from the breweries, • and I should not be at all surprised if the consumption of this liquid: (unwittingly adulterated) has caused the outbreak. Would it not be as well for the Health Officer to take samples of the milk supplied to those families ;riow afflicted with scarlet feveryand analyse 1 them, in order, if possible^ to trace.the.catise- As before mentioned, taft'^editli Officers and medical faculty at Etbjn^ hare caused this to be done, and ''have achiered success. By Bye-Law JSTp. ,12>> I notice that " no night soil is foibe deposited on any place other than at places'specified at Parawai, without the limits of the Borough; and yet I am informed,(per* haps incorrectly) that the whole of the refuse from the Waio-Karaka School offices is deposited in common gardens. Would you be kind enough to inform.'ine if this is the case.; as it so, it is not only in contravention of the before-mentioned bye law, but is calculated to injure th,e health of the public. A great deal hag been said about the defective drainage being the cause of the outbreak jf scarlet fever, and although, no doubt, it has something to do with it, we must hot overlook the fact that iv some places where the drainage, is in a disgraceful state, the people are healthy, while where sanitary arrangements are in decent order the disease exists. Believe me, it is not the drainage that is the cause of the outbreak. —I am, &c,

Nemesis

(To the Editor of the Evening Star.)

Sir, —A. groat deal too much is being made of the few scarlet fever oases which have occurred on the Thames. In Auckland, the fever has been a great deal more prevalent than it has been here. -Bill th» Auckland medical men do not get 80 excited as some of our local medicos do, hence it is recommended that public schools be closed. What bosh ! Canitot children contract scarlet fever by playing with one another, and visiting each others* houses as well a3 at the school? My own impression ig, that medical men should not be allowed to visit scarlet fever patients and then go about their usual practice without a change of clothing &t least, or being fumigated if necessary. However, as the public schools do not get many holidays during the year, perhaps it might suit the health pf some of th» teachers to close the schools' for a few months.—l am, &c, Parent.