[Report 1927] / Medical Officer of Health, Essex County Council.

  • Essex (England). County Council.
Date:
1927
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1927] / Medical Officer of Health, Essex County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    24/122 (page 22)
    teachers, school medical inspectors and the district medical officers of health has continued throughout the year whilst every effort has heen made by the school nurses to follow up children excluded or absent. The idea of closing scIkjoIs in order to prevent the dissemination of infection lias heen proved to be unnecessary particularly in urban districts, and the facilities under Circular 1337 permitting of a certificate being issued that the reduction of attendance is due to infectious disease is a sound policy. In fact, with the increased medical and other supervision now being carried on throughout the schools, a child is better protected from infection whilst at school than if he were running about. Experience seems to indicate that the chief method of spreading infection is by personal contact, i.e., by “ droplet infection,” in coughing, sneezing, &c., whereas the amount of infection conveyed by the furniture or in the air of the school classroom, is negligible, provided proper air space, ventilation and cleanliness are maintained. If this is done satisfactorily there is no necessity for the use of disinfectants in class- rooms, as they are apt merely to cloak instead of remove the infectious material. ISOLATION HOSPITALS. The Scheme of Grants paid by the County Council in aid of Isolation Hospitals in respect to (a) beds provided in buildings erected out of loan (£5 per bed per annum), (b) beds provided in buildings erected out of revenue (£2 10s. Od. per bed per annum), (c) provision of motor ambulance (£10 per annum), and id) special grants towards exceptional expenses, has been continued subject to the conditions enumerated in my Annual Report for 1925. All the isolation hospitals applying for grant during 1927 were inspected and found generally satisfactory. Minor improvements and renovations suggested were carried out. It was noted that the increase in the population in the Dagenham and Becontree areas was throwing a considerable strain on the accommodation available at the Ilford and Romford Isolation Hospitals and extensions to both hospitals are contemplated. Owing to pressure on the accommodation at the Orsett Isolation Hospital extra accommodation for Diphtheria cases is being provided. In Table VIII on page 22a information obtained from the Isolation Hospital Authorities receiving grants for beds provided out of loan from the County Council for the year ended 31st March, 1927, is summarised. In addition to comparing the cost per case treated during the year 1926-27, the cost per patient per week is shown (i) including expenditure on loans and (ii) excluding this expenditure. The table again illustrates the high cost of treating patients in hospitals not. fully utilised and where the number of beds is small. During the year ended 31st March, 1927, grants for beds provided out of revenue wore made to the following hospital authorities :— Colchester (40 beds), Halstead (4 beds), Orsett (4 beds).