Dr. F. St. George Mivart's report to the Local Government Board on the prevalence of diphtheria in Holywell parishes, and on the sanitary state of those localities / [F. St. George Mivart].

  • Mivart, F. St. George.
Date:
1897
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Dr. F. St. George Mivart's report to the Local Government Board on the prevalence of diphtheria in Holywell parishes, and on the sanitary state of those localities / [F. St. George Mivart]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    year, being a prolongation of the ordinary Whitsuntide holidays for a period of 14 days. At the end of the summer holidays of the present year the schools were reopened for one week by way of testing the amount of illness prevailing, but were at once closed again and still remain so. As with “urban” so with “rural” Holywell there is no hospital for the treatment of cases of infectious diseases, although, perhaps, there is no similar area where the need of such hospital is more urgent. During my visit of inspection I heard that there was shortly to be a conference of neighbouring District Councils with a view to ascertaining whether by joint action an infectious hospital could be set up.* The Medical Officer of Health, Mr. James Williams, has repeatedly urged upon the Rural District Council the necessity of providing suitable means of isolating cases of infectious disease in their district, and for providing also apparatus for the disinfection of bedding and clothing. Had means of isolation and disinfection been available at the commencement of the present epidemic, he is convinced that the diphtheria could have been largely controlled, if not altogether arrested. F. ST. GEORGE MIVART. December 1896. APPENDIX. Laboratory, Assay Office, Chester, November 21, 1896. I hereby certify that i have analysed the sample of water from spring, November 20, with the following results :— In parts per 100,000 of water— Total solid matter in solution - 127*5 Chlorine ------- 11*55 Nitrogen as nitrates and nitrites - - - - 4*24 Free ammonia ------ *003 Albuminoid ammonia ----- *011 Microscopical examination of sediments:—Fragments of cotton fibre and vegetable debris. From the above results it is evident that the sample is seriously polluted, apparently, with sewage matter. I consider it a very bad water for drinking and domestic use. W. F. Lowe, F.T.C., &c., County Analyst. * I. have since learnt that the Holywell Rural District Council did not participate in the Conference.