[Report 1921] / Medical Officer of Health, Salop / Shropshire County Council.

  • Shropshire (England). County Council.
Date:
1921
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1921] / Medical Officer of Health, Salop / Shropshire County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    reduces overcrowding. There will alwa^'s remain a considerable number of cases that cannot be dealt with at home by means of .shelters, including es])ccially those cases where the mother of a family is the person affected, and those in which the surroundings of the home do not permit of the use of a shelter. Imr all these, ho.sjutal beds are essential. The use of shelters for the prevention of infection hardly appears to have received sufficient attention. It is one of the most important functions of shelters. Probably the best use to which shelters can be put is the provision of sleeping accommodation for children living in an overcrowded ‘ phthi.sis ’ home. The Health Visitors arc being directed to give special attention to this matter. It is, however, full of difficulties. The complete embargo on the provision of shelters should now be removed. Shelters are a very economical and efficient way of preventing infection and overcrowding. Care Scheme.—A Central Care Committee and local Care Committees covering the whole County, have been appointed. Broadly speaking, the object of these Committees is to keep ► in touch with the cases of phthisis throughout the County and by means of advice and help « to enable the patients to live as far as possible a “ sanatorium life ” ; and also to report un- jt favourable conditions that they cannot remedy. i Reference should be made to the last report for details of the reorganised scheme. ' Disinfection of Houses.—IMuch correspondence has taken place between the County Council If and Local Sanitary Authorities on this matter. I It was suggested by me that phthisis houses should be di.sinfected on the following occasions 1. —On notification of the case. [ 2. —During progress of the case, to be determined by the nature of the case and its sur- t roundings. 3. — On removal to the sanatorium or change of address. 4. —After death. 11 j 5. —Disinfection of shelter when it has ceased to be used. 'd All authorities have not yet signified their willingness to carry out the disinfection hciejr de.scribed. Efforts are being made to get disinfection carried out satisfactorily in all districts.il Examination of Sputum.—It is recognised as of the utmost importance that sputum, ij present, should be e.xamincd in every case of phthisis, and that the examination should bd repeated as often as may be necessary to determine the progress of the case or its infectiousness 1 . The County Council have for many years provided facilities for examination of sputum, anc . practitioners are urged to make the fullest use of these facilities in ever\^ case. Arrangements have now been made so that with the consent of the practitioners, the healtl' visitor takes specimens when required. In this way specimens should be obtained in all caseq where there is any sputum to examine. | SPUTUI\I EXAMINATIONS, 1921. No. of Cases examined. Cases in which Not In r- Patients. there was no Examined. Institutions ) Positive. Negative. sputum. (Bicton, &c.) 121 60 (^5 55** ** Of tlie 55 cases not examined, there was objection by the Private Practitioners concerned in 9 cases ; in 7 casir ' tlie Notifications were received after death ; and in 23 cases the patients have died or left the Count! 1 tlius leaving only 16 unaccounted for. t