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INFECTIOUS DISEASE IN ENGLAND AND WALES DURING THE WEEK ENDED JULY 11TH, 1931.
215 and there are lacking many of the facilities found in some progressive centres of population. The authority has no special schools of any kind of its own, no nursery schools, no X ray installation for the treatment of ringworm, no organisers of
that the committee " provided the school dentist with help which proved nothing more than an encumbrance." The percentage of parents present at the examination of their children was over 80, which may be regarded as a tribute to the personality of the medical officer. Dr. Rolleston makes some observations on the teaching of hygiene in the schools ; on the whole he is satisfied with the effort made, but considers that hygienic teaching can scarcely be said to occupy any definite place in the course of instruction. He praiges the valuable instructions given by the busy school nurse, and proposes to supplement the teaching by individual talks to each child examined.
-.population,
physical training, and no cooperation of voluntary Since all such except the N.S.P.C.C. -valuable agencies are lacking, and since Dr. Davies, who is medical officer of health for the county with only one assistant, has to carry out all his duties over a widely-scattered area, it would not be surprising if the ascertainment of defects were not so strict as in some other places. The fact that the :percentage of children found to have defects is only 12-31 compared with 20’7 for England and Wales (in 1928), and that only three cases of otitis and defective hearing were noted, may be due not so much to the superior health in Brecon as to the exigencies of the school medical .societies
INFECTIOUS DISEASE
service. On the subject of malnutrition, it is recorded that - the committee is concerned about the physical welfare of the children. Milk is being supplied to ill-nourished children in many of the schools, and frequently cocoa also, at a cheap rate. Many of the school buildings are defective, some of them so unsatisfactory that, in the opinion -of Dr. Davies, jproper conditions of light, warmth, and fresh air could be obtained more cheaply by erecting new In other places, however, ones than by adaptation. quite small alterations provide marked improvements. Repainting walls in a clean light colour instead of the dark buff may not only make a room more cheerful but raise the reflective power of the walls by over 40 per cent. Cleaning has been made much easier by the removal of heavy desks and furniture and by other simple devices. He fears, however, -that the benefits derived from improved school buildings are being negatived by bad housing - conditions.
I
IN ENGLAND AND WALES DURING THE WEEK ENDED JULY
11TH, 1931.
VocaMoKS.—The following cases of infectious were notified during the week: Small-pox 45 (last week 56) ; scarlet fever, 1378 ; diphtheria, 892 ; enteric fever, 61 ; pneumonia, 618 ; puerperal fever, 39 ; puerperal pyrexia, 105 ; cerebro-spinal fever, 44 ; acute poliomyelitis, 6 ; encephalitis lethargica, 10 ; dysentery, 27 ; and ophthalmia neonatorum, 112. No caS8 of cholera, plague, or disease
typhus
fever
was
notified during the week.
The number of cases in the Infectious Hospitals of the London County Council on July 14th-15th was as follows : Small-pox, 64 under treatment, 1 under observation (last week 97 and 1 respectively) ; scarlet fever, 1125 ; diphtheria, 1471 ; enteric fever, 18 ; measles, 143 ; whooping-cough, 448 ; puerperal fever, 39 (plus 12 babies) ; encephalitis lethargica, 206 ; poliomyelitis, 2 ; " other diseases," 133. At St. Margaret’s Hospital there were 12 babies (plus 3 mothers) with ophthalmia neonatorum.
’ Deaths.-In the aggregate of great towns, including County of Rutland. London, there were no deaths from small-pox, 2 (1) Dr. Christopher Rolleston, who is responsible for from enteric fever, 18 (0) from measles, 6 (1) from Rutland as well as the Soke of Peterborough, is scarlet fever, 17 (3) from whooping-cough, 29 outspoken in his condemnation of some of the condi- (2) from diphtheria, 35 (8) from diarrhoea and tions he has to cope with. He says that there enteritis under two years, and 20 (3) from
single school in the county which comes influenza. The figures in parentheses are those for requirements, and that grossly insani- London itself. tary conditions still exist in the shape of privy Three deaths from meningococcal meningitis were is
hardly
a
-up to modern
vaults in certain schools. The water supply also is quite inadequate, but Dr. Rolleston considers that the question of water supply to schools must wait -upon a general scheme for the whole county, or even possible for the whole of rural England. He cites many improvements made during the past few years. The new central schools are temporary buildingsz’ old army huts, but they seem to answer their purpose, and they have the advantage of not lasting for centuries. The hygienic ideas of one generation become the abomination of desolation of the next." He draws a striking picture of the development of the school medical service-from 1910, when there was no school nurse, to the present time. The arrangements for treatment have progressed gradually - during this period. During the year the committee continued the policy of asking for small payments for the various forms of treatment (other than X ray treatment) from the few parents whose means are within the prescribed income limit.
The provision for dentistry has been inadequate, but it should be possible to complete the round of the school in a year now that the working time of the dentist has been increased. The advice received from a dental expert attached to the Board of Education was that dental attendants should invariably be provided, though it was considered unnecessary that the attendant should be a trained nurse. The essential qualities were said to be adaptability, neatness, method, intelligence, and some knowledge of clerical routine. Dr. Rolleston’s comment is that such paragons are not easily to be found. He adds
in London, one in an infant and the others in age groups from 25 to 45. There were two deaths from measles in Liverpool, Leeds, and Sunderland. Four fatal cases of diphtheria were reported from Leeds, three from Birmingham, and two each from Manchester and Salford. Diarrhoea and enteritis under two years caused three deaths in Sunderland, and two each in Stoke-on-Trent, Birmingham, Leeds, Sheffield, and Hull. Four deaths from influenza occurred in Birmingham.
registered
The number of stillbirths notified during the week 285 (corresponding to a rate of 41 per 1000 births), including 43 in London.
was
ANTS
IN
A
HOSPITAL. — At
a
meeting of the
were made that there is a visitation of ants at Shieldhall fever hospital. It was stated that children’s cots had been invaded, and the food in patients’ lockers speedily became infested. The convenor of the public health committee explained that steps are being taken to deal with the ants, and that the creatures were harmless and " did not attack the
Glasgow corporation recently complaints
"
patients." EXTENSION
OF
ASHINGTON HOSPITAL.—On behalf
of the Central Miners’ Joint Welfare Committee, which made a grant of 10,000 towards the cost—.815,000— extensions of this hospital have been formally handed The enlargements comprise a new orthopaedic over. an improved out-patients’ department, a During 1930 over theatre, and various accessories. 1000 patients were admitted, there were 22,000 outpatients, and more than 14,000 orthopaedic cases were
department, new
dealt with.
that the committee " provided the school dentist with help which proved nothing more than an encumbrance." The percentage of parents present at the examination of their children was over 80, which may be regarded as a tribute to the personality of the medical officer. Dr. Rolleston makes some observations on the teaching of hygiene in the schools ; on the whole he is satisfied with the effort made, but considers that hygienic teaching can scarcely be said to occupy any definite place in the course of instruction. He praiges the valuable instructions given by the busy school nurse, and proposes to supplement the teaching by individual talks to each child examined.
-.population,
physical training, and no cooperation of voluntary Since all such except the N.S.P.C.C. -valuable agencies are lacking, and since Dr. Davies, who is medical officer of health for the county with only one assistant, has to carry out all his duties over a widely-scattered area, it would not be surprising if the ascertainment of defects were not so strict as in some other places. The fact that the :percentage of children found to have defects is only 12-31 compared with 20’7 for England and Wales (in 1928), and that only three cases of otitis and defective hearing were noted, may be due not so much to the superior health in Brecon as to the exigencies of the school medical .societies
INFECTIOUS DISEASE
service. On the subject of malnutrition, it is recorded that - the committee is concerned about the physical welfare of the children. Milk is being supplied to ill-nourished children in many of the schools, and frequently cocoa also, at a cheap rate. Many of the school buildings are defective, some of them so unsatisfactory that, in the opinion -of Dr. Davies, jproper conditions of light, warmth, and fresh air could be obtained more cheaply by erecting new In other places, however, ones than by adaptation. quite small alterations provide marked improvements. Repainting walls in a clean light colour instead of the dark buff may not only make a room more cheerful but raise the reflective power of the walls by over 40 per cent. Cleaning has been made much easier by the removal of heavy desks and furniture and by other simple devices. He fears, however, -that the benefits derived from improved school buildings are being negatived by bad housing - conditions.
I
IN ENGLAND AND WALES DURING THE WEEK ENDED JULY
11TH, 1931.
VocaMoKS.—The following cases of infectious were notified during the week: Small-pox 45 (last week 56) ; scarlet fever, 1378 ; diphtheria, 892 ; enteric fever, 61 ; pneumonia, 618 ; puerperal fever, 39 ; puerperal pyrexia, 105 ; cerebro-spinal fever, 44 ; acute poliomyelitis, 6 ; encephalitis lethargica, 10 ; dysentery, 27 ; and ophthalmia neonatorum, 112. No caS8 of cholera, plague, or disease
typhus
fever
was
notified during the week.
The number of cases in the Infectious Hospitals of the London County Council on July 14th-15th was as follows : Small-pox, 64 under treatment, 1 under observation (last week 97 and 1 respectively) ; scarlet fever, 1125 ; diphtheria, 1471 ; enteric fever, 18 ; measles, 143 ; whooping-cough, 448 ; puerperal fever, 39 (plus 12 babies) ; encephalitis lethargica, 206 ; poliomyelitis, 2 ; " other diseases," 133. At St. Margaret’s Hospital there were 12 babies (plus 3 mothers) with ophthalmia neonatorum.
’ Deaths.-In the aggregate of great towns, including County of Rutland. London, there were no deaths from small-pox, 2 (1) Dr. Christopher Rolleston, who is responsible for from enteric fever, 18 (0) from measles, 6 (1) from Rutland as well as the Soke of Peterborough, is scarlet fever, 17 (3) from whooping-cough, 29 outspoken in his condemnation of some of the condi- (2) from diphtheria, 35 (8) from diarrhoea and tions he has to cope with. He says that there enteritis under two years, and 20 (3) from
single school in the county which comes influenza. The figures in parentheses are those for requirements, and that grossly insani- London itself. tary conditions still exist in the shape of privy Three deaths from meningococcal meningitis were is
hardly
a
-up to modern
vaults in certain schools. The water supply also is quite inadequate, but Dr. Rolleston considers that the question of water supply to schools must wait -upon a general scheme for the whole county, or even possible for the whole of rural England. He cites many improvements made during the past few years. The new central schools are temporary buildingsz’ old army huts, but they seem to answer their purpose, and they have the advantage of not lasting for centuries. The hygienic ideas of one generation become the abomination of desolation of the next." He draws a striking picture of the development of the school medical service-from 1910, when there was no school nurse, to the present time. The arrangements for treatment have progressed gradually - during this period. During the year the committee continued the policy of asking for small payments for the various forms of treatment (other than X ray treatment) from the few parents whose means are within the prescribed income limit.
The provision for dentistry has been inadequate, but it should be possible to complete the round of the school in a year now that the working time of the dentist has been increased. The advice received from a dental expert attached to the Board of Education was that dental attendants should invariably be provided, though it was considered unnecessary that the attendant should be a trained nurse. The essential qualities were said to be adaptability, neatness, method, intelligence, and some knowledge of clerical routine. Dr. Rolleston’s comment is that such paragons are not easily to be found. He adds
in London, one in an infant and the others in age groups from 25 to 45. There were two deaths from measles in Liverpool, Leeds, and Sunderland. Four fatal cases of diphtheria were reported from Leeds, three from Birmingham, and two each from Manchester and Salford. Diarrhoea and enteritis under two years caused three deaths in Sunderland, and two each in Stoke-on-Trent, Birmingham, Leeds, Sheffield, and Hull. Four deaths from influenza occurred in Birmingham.
registered
The number of stillbirths notified during the week 285 (corresponding to a rate of 41 per 1000 births), including 43 in London.
was
ANTS
IN
A
HOSPITAL. — At
a
meeting of the
were made that there is a visitation of ants at Shieldhall fever hospital. It was stated that children’s cots had been invaded, and the food in patients’ lockers speedily became infested. The convenor of the public health committee explained that steps are being taken to deal with the ants, and that the creatures were harmless and " did not attack the
Glasgow corporation recently complaints
"
patients." EXTENSION
OF
ASHINGTON HOSPITAL.—On behalf
of the Central Miners’ Joint Welfare Committee, which made a grant of 10,000 towards the cost—.815,000— extensions of this hospital have been formally handed The enlargements comprise a new orthopaedic over. an improved out-patients’ department, a During 1930 over theatre, and various accessories. 1000 patients were admitted, there were 22,000 outpatients, and more than 14,000 orthopaedic cases were
department, new
dealt with.