Annual report of the Commissioner of Public Health / Queensland.

  • Queensland. Department of Public Health.
Date:
[1910]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual report of the Commissioner of Public Health / Queensland. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    11/16 (page 11)
    It will be seen from tbe above record that, apart from the milk, the food supply as indicated by the samples taken by the inspectors is now in a fairly healthy condition. It is very unfortunate that the milk supply, on which depends to a very large exteut our infant mortality, should be in such a very unhealthy condition. The purity of the milk supply is of very much greater importance from a health point of view than the purity of any other article of food, and yet it is the moat adulterated aud most contaminated food material in use at the present time. No samples of food were received under the provisions of the Health Act, except from your Departmental inspectors. I have, &c., J. BEOWNLIE HENDEESON, The Commissioner of Public Health, Brisbane. Government Analyst. APPENDIX D. EE POET OP THE GOVEENMENT BACTEEIOLOGIST. Bacteriological Institute, Brisbane, 17th August, 1910. Sin,— I have the honour to submit the following Eeport on the work performed at this Institute, in connection with the Department of Public Health, during the year ended 30th June last:— Plague (Human). During the past year only eight (8) specimens of suspected plague material were examined, comprising lymph, sputum, and viscera; but all proved negative, no plague bacilli being detected. In each case the result of the microscopic examination was confirmed subsequently by the culture and guinea-pig tests. Plague (Eodent). 22,773 rats and 3,333 mice were submitted from Brisbane, Bundaberg, and Ipswich, or about 3,000 more than the preceding year. None were found to be infected. This is the first year, since the appearance of plague in Brisbane in 1900, that no infected rats were discovered. Prom the health authorities at Mack ay, smears of spleen-blood from 1,358 rats were received, and, on being stained and examined microscopically, five (5) were found to contain typical plague bacilli. These occurred during July, August, and September, 1909. Tuberculosis. Specimens of sputa to the number of 297 were submitted ; aud in 103 of these tubercle bacilli were found. In addition, 2 specimens of pleuritic fluid, 3 of urine, one (1) of cow's milk, one (1) of pus, and one (1) of faeces were examined ; but all gave negative results. In the latter specimens, it is customary, in addition to the microscopic examination, to, in each case, inoculate a guinea-pig, which is, as a rule, killed in six weeks or so from the date of inoculation and examined post-morlem for any indications of the disease. Leprosy. Specimens of serum from 13 cases (suspected) were examined ; and in 9 of these the bacilli were detected. Typhoid. Specimens of blood from 266 suspected cases were examined by Widal’s method ; and in 84 of these positive reactions were obtained. Thirteen samples of water from various sources were examined; but in only one could a positive result be obtained. In 2 out of 23 specimens of urine, the B. typhosus was demonstrated ; while, in one (1) specimen of soil from a sink, 4 of fasces, 2 of pus, and one (1) of cow’s milk, negative results were obtained. Pathological Tissues. This branch of the work continues to claim a large amount of attention, 141 specimens from suspected malignant tissues having been sectioned, stained, and microscopically examined. The micro¬ scopic examination of the prepared sections, as in the past, is conducted by Dr. Wilton Love, the Honorary Pathologist. In addition to the above, animal tissues to the number of 43 were submitted and sectioned. Miscellaneous Specimens. A large number of specimens were submitted to be examined for the followingPneumonia, gonorrhoea, cerebro-spinal meningitis, septicaemia, filaria, malaria, anaemia, ankylostomiasis, hydatid disease, and syphilis. Other specimens included foods (fish, ham, beef, and jam), cow’s milk (for quantitative bacterial analyses), bread, ice cream, custard, water (quantitative and qualitative bacterial analyses), condensed milk, &c. Twenty-seven specimens of urine were submitted for general examination purposes