Local Board of Health.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2791, 24 January 1878, Page 3

Local Board of Health.

A meeting of tho Local Board of Health was held at the Borough Council Chambers at 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon. There wero present—His Worship tho Mayor, chairman; Messrs Price, Ehrenfried, Wilson, McGowrn and Read. The Mayor said ho had convened tho present meeting for tho purpose of ascertaining their views as to what was tho best j way of staying the disease of scarlet j fever, which had been prevalent in itia j district for some time, and to see what: steps they considered should be taken with j respect- to it. Ho might say that up to ! the present the disease had been com- j municated by contagion from one family to another, and ns yet it had made no great spread. Ho thought that steps should bo taken to allay its further spread. He then read the following letter from the medical officer to the Board on tho matter as follows :— The Chairman Local Board of Health, Borough of Thames. Sib, —I have to report for tho information of tbt Local Board of Health fclmt I called on Mrs Gibbons, on the beach, and found Jtbat her son Robert has undoubtedly conYtractfld scarlet furer. From information -afforded mo by the mo!her, I find that only *1 days bare elapsed boiween the com. mencement i:f (bo disease and the time when tho boy was allowed to mix with tbe rest of tbo family, which, iii my opinion, is far too short a lime —tbo danger of contagion not ceasing for at least six weeks or two months. Meanwhile some of tbe children have been lent to school, mixing with other children to their great risk. There iiru two other families suspected, which I hope to visit to-day. Meanwhile I have visited tbo school, and huve requested tl at the children of Mrs Gibbons should be desired to stiiy mvay far a fortnight or three weeks, alco those of another family pending investigation. I have the honor, «See, Mabtik Faiths. January 23rd, 1878. Tho secretary said he had heard of a number of cases, wheh had never been reported, very bad with the disease. Mr Ehrenfried asked Mr Dean what precautions were adopted when the scarlet fever was prevalent a year or 18 months Mr Dean (secretary) said that on the previous occasion the Board had published directions from the medical profession of the Thames generally, for preventing the spread of disease. The Health Officer had also been initructed to isolate bad cases, and funds were provided to defray the cost of burning the infected bedding, etc. The Chairman said he considered that the remarks in the report, and the action taken by the Medical Uißcer in respect to the base of the boy Gibbons, were quite correct, and ho considered generally the children who had lately recovered from the disease, or Who might be apt to convey infection, should be .prevented from going to school or mixing with other children for a time. In the instance named no information of the existence of the disease in the family had been conveyed to the Board, and the parents had treated the lad themselves without medical assistance. Ho theu read the 28th Clause of the Public Health Act, having reference to the penalties attached to a breach of non-conforn>ity with the regulations in not reporting cases, etc. He said, as one means of preventing the spread of the disease, he thought that parents should bawnrned of the risk ran by allowing infected children to mix with others. Ho also recommended that the 28th Clause of the Public Health Act be published in the papers, and that parents be requested not to let children recovering from the- disease mix with other children .until they had received a clean bill of health, as it were, from their Health Officer. •

Mr Ehrenfried thought that a medical man might give a clean bill of health.

Mr Price said that the most difficult thing -was to find out where the disease was. . ■-.

Mr Ehrenfried: However, people cannot say they have not been warned when the notice is published. Cr McGowan moved that section 28 of the Public Health Act be published, and that parents of children who have had scarlet fever, or any other, infectious disease, be requested to isolate such children until they get a certificate from the Health Officer, or any other duly qualified medical man, that the child or children are free from contagion.

The Chairman read a number of clauses from the Act to show the power the Board bad to take steps for the prevention of disease.

Cr Ehrenfried said that he considered that Mr McGowan's motion would meet present requirements, and ho would ■econd it.

It was then put to the meeting, and carried unanimously. This was all the business.