[Report 1911] / Medical Officer of Health, Chorley Borough.

  • Chorley (England). Borough Council.
Date:
1911
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1911] / Medical Officer of Health, Chorley Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    12/32 (page 12)
    and in an infectioais condition have been found going' about the streets, and thus spreading the infection. In one case a boy who wa^s peeling ’’ from Scarlets Fever returned to his work ati a baker’s, and unfortunately died subsequently from Scarlatinal Inflammation of the Kidneys. It cannot be too strongly urged upon the parents and guardians cf children, not,only for the sake of others, but foi' that of the children them- selves that, in every case of a feverish attack accompanied by sore throat and a rash, medical advice should l^e obtained. Many cases of permanent and ultimately fatal kidney disease result from the preliminary neglect of a mild and perhaps unrecognised attack of Scarlet Fever. I have also found that it is quite a common practice when a child is suffering from an Infectious Disease for the neighbours and friendsi not only to visit the infected house, but also bring one or more children with them into the room in which the sufferer is. I fully appreciate the spirit of kindness and the intention to help that often animates these people, but must protest against the practice as on© of the most potent causes c-f spreading infection. Many a time in my visits to infected houses on receipt of notifications, I have seen several people, young children included, collected round the patient, and it is not to be wondered that the spread of infection occurs. I do' not want to stop, if I could, the kindly help of a neighbour to a mother worn out with long nursing, but I would: like that all children should be kept away from an infected house, and that all empty visits of curiosity or gossip should cease. In the great majority of houses infected with Scarlet Fever only one case occurred, and this, I think, was due to the speedy removal of the cases and to the isolation imposed in those houses where the cases were allowed to remain at home. As a general rule, I believe that the directions given tO' the parents of the patients remaining at home were conscientiously carried out. All the houses were disinfected upon removal of each case tO' the Hospital, or upon the termination of the case at home. The clothes, bedding, etc., were disinfected at the same time. I must here again impress upon the parents the absolute necessity of permitting all the clothes that have been in an infected room to be sent to the Disinfector. Occasionally people keep back some article which they fear will be injured in the process of disinfection and, as a result, we sometimes have cases that I attribute to such failure of disinfection. Diphtheria and Membranous Croup.—I regret tO' sav that Diphtheria has been unusually prevalent during 1911. Forty (40) cases were notified to me, viz, four (4) in the first Quarter, two (2) in the second, twelve (12) in the third, and twenty-two (22) in the fourth Quarter ; eight (8) cases each in October and November, and six (6) in December. These cases were distribued throughout the Wards as follows: — Three (3) in North Ward, nine (9) in East Ward, and fourteen (14) in South and West Wards respectively.