Dr. R. Deane Sweeting's report to the Local Government Board upon the general sanitary circumstances and administration of the borough of Poole, with special reference to dealing with infectious diseases.

  • Sweeting, R. Deane.
Date:
[1913]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Dr. R. Deane Sweeting's report to the Local Government Board upon the general sanitary circumstances and administration of the borough of Poole, with special reference to dealing with infectious diseases. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    17/26 page 17
    When tlie liospital is recoustructed and improved a laroer female staff will be required, and none but trained nurses, at proper remuneration, should be engaged. The nurses have two hours’ leave a day and a day very month. At the day leave they do not go far from the precincts of the hospital and no especial precautions are taken. But at their monthly leave they change their clothes and take a bath before leaving the hospital. Visit- ing of patients’ friends is insufficiently restricted. Visitors are permitted to view patients through the ward windows and come when they like. When the hospital and its administration are improved the public will perhaps be inclined to submit to more irksome regulations. During my investigations there was some suspicion of the contraction of infection by this unregulated visiting. It would be well to confine it to the friends of patients who are dangerously ill and likely to die. The above suggested enlargement and improvement of Alderney Hospital are the more needful in view of the lien that Poole Rural District has upon the beds of the institution which might at any time prove a.source of grave embarrassment to the corporation. It< should bemadded that thci hospital record as to patients is very meagre, and that no case, book at all is kept. Prevalence of and dealing with, infectious disease.—As shown in the table above, there have been 620 notifications of scarlet fever. (13 fatal) and 150 of diphtheria (21 fatal) in the three years 1909-1911. During the first quarter of 1912, 55 cases of scarlet fever have been notified (two fatal), and 34 of diphtheria.(13 fatal). The 620 notifications of scarlet fever were thus distributed as to seasons:—first quarter, 106; second quarter, 151; third quarter, 180; fourth quarter, 183, or 68 per cent, in the third and fourth quarter. Of the 150 notifications of diphtheria 99 or two-thirds occurred'in the first and fourth quarters of the year. The age distribution of these cases has been as follows: — (a) Scarlet Fever. 0-5 years. 5-10 years. 10-15 years. 15-26 years. Over 25 years. Notifica- tions. Deaths. Notifica- ' tions. Deaths. Notifica- tions. Deaths. Notifica- tions. Deaths. Notifica- tions. Deaths. 145 3 306 ( ' 8 106 1 35 — 28 1 Thus, 72 per cent, of' the notifications were under ten years of age, and 49 per cent, in the period'five to ten years. This period was more fatal than that under five years, in the proportion of 2*6 per cent, to 2 per cent. 2.5764 B
    digitised image 1
    digitised image 2
    digitised image 3