[Report 1893] / Medical Officer of Health, Godstone R.D.C.

  • Godstone (Surrey, England). Rural District Council.
Date:
1893
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1893] / Medical Officer of Health, Godstone R.D.C. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    45/70 (page 19)
    Cases of Scarlatina occurred in three families, all of which were contracted outside the district. The usual means of isolation and disinfection were adopted, and no extension of the disease occurred. The history of the existence of Infectious disease during the year, however, does not stop here, as the villlage was the scene of a very considerable visitation of Diphtheria, in which school attendance proved a leading influence. The first case occurred early in the year, during April, at the Rectory Lodge, and had, apparently, origin in the surroundings of the house. The small dip-well, from which the drinking water was derived, was much exposed to the danger of being contaminated with the dust and dirt from the ground in its vicinity, where numerous fowls were kept and had liberty to roam, being unprovided with a covering of any kind. The school being closed for the Easter holidays, no risk of extension by that means existed, and no other case occurred, even in the family. The next case appeared in July, and was the commencement of a series, which ultimately assumed epidemic proportions and involved a number of deaths. The following is an abstract from a special report, made at the time, and fully describes the circumstances attending the outbreak. “ In consequence of the Notification Act not being in force in this district, some days elapsed after the first case occurred in the above outbreak before I became acquainted with the fact that Diphtheria existed at Oxted at all and then on July 5th, on my visiting the spot, to my surprise I found it extensively prevalent and fresh cases occurring daily, so that it became an urgent question that immediate steps should be taken to arrest the progress of the epidemic. Finding on enquiry that the disease was at that time confined exclusively to children, and especially those attending the Infant Sehool, I advised that it should be at once- closed, which was done that day, and in consequence of fresh cases still occurring during the next two days the large school was closed also. Although this step was productive of much inconvenience to the Master and Managers by reason of the proximity of the examination, upon the result of which the financial position of the school much depended, nevertheless I am pleased to be able to commend to your notice the readiness with which both Managers and Master acquiesced in my views and agreed to carry out any suggestions I might think proper to make. v \ [19]