HH62/1/ABERD/25

Transcription

[Page] 24

The school of Savoch was closed by the School Board on
18th July, and during the vacation it was thoroughly
cleaned, the walls disinfected, and the woodwork painted.
A few weeks ago a boy at Quilquox, attending the
Savoch School, took scarlet fever. Blame was laid upon
the school as the source of the infection, but, on investiga-
tion of the case, I could establish no connection with the
previous outbreak. The infected houses and everything in
them had been disinfected in a most thorough manner by
the Sanitary Inspector himself, all the school books used by
the children in the infected houses being burnt - a most im-
portant precaution. I was inclined to trace the source of
the disease in the Quilquox case to the boy's father, whose
work took him constantly to Aberdeen, where scarlet fever
was very prevalent. This seemed to receive confirmation
from the fact that, though the boy was immediately isolated,
and his father went to reside in another house, the latter
was, a few weeks after, himself attacked. No other case
occurred amongst the scholars attending the Savoch school.

OFFENSIVE TRADES.

The only offensive trade in the Ellon District is the
slaughtering of cattle. Some of the slaughter-houses in the
different villages are not in accordance with strict sanitary
requirements. They are being dealt with.

BAKEHOUSES.

As bakehouses are placed under the direct supervision of
the Medical Officer of Health, I have made a personal in-
spection of a number of those in the district. In several
of them in which I found the conditions not quite satisfac-
tory, I gave instructions for having improvements carried
out.

DAIRIES.

The Sub-Committee have under their consideration a
series of bye-laws for regulating the condition of the dairies
in the district.
A strict supervision of dairies is a matter of the utmost
importance from the point of view of the public health.
Milk forms one of the best means of multiplying and
conveying disease germs. Any contamination, therefore, of
the milk by polluted water, drain effluvia, or contact with
anyone suffering from an infectious disease, may be the source
of a dangerous epidemic. The transmission, now proved, of

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disease from animals, and we need mention only tuberculosis,
has rendered it further necessary to regulate more carefully
the conditions under which the cows themselves are kept.

HOSPITAL SUPERVISION.

As I mentioned before, the Local Authority have an
excellent hospital, so far as its accommodation goes. It con-
sists of an administrative block and one pavilion connected
with it by a covered way, the pavilion being divided into
two wards, with a nurse's room between. Each ward is
capable of accommodating four beds. There is in the ad-
ministrative block a room with one bed which may be used
for a single case.
The original plan evidently took into consideration an
extension, for which there is ample room. A pavilion behind,
like the one in front, would give ample accommodation for
the needs of the whole district.
A steam disinfector, or a disinfecting oven, at the hospital
would be of no little service. Bedding and clothes could be
taken there and disinfected, and this even in cases where a
patient is isolated at home. A small sum might be charged
for the use of it to cover the cost of up-keep.
The hospital is fortunate in possessing an excellent
matron, whose kind treatment of the patients and excellent
manner with children have been of the utmost service in
overcoming the dislike on the part of the public to hospital
isolation. The wards are also bright and clean, and every-
thing about the hospital reflects great credit on all who
have been connected with the charge of it.
One shilling a day is charged to patients, but a wise
discretion is allowed in relaxing the rule in special cases.

MEASURES FOR THE PREVENTION OF OUTBREAK AND
SPREAD OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE.

Removal to hospital, where isolation at home was im-
possible, thorough disinfection of house, bedding, and clothes
under the personal supervision of the Sanitary Inspector in
every case - these are the measures that have been employed
with marked success in checking the spread of infectious
disease.

CAUSES, ORIGIN, AND DISTRIBUTION OF DISEASES.

This is a question that the short time at my command
will hardly allow of my giving any sufficient account of,
and I shall, therefore, reserve it for a future Report.