Scarlet Fever Epidemic
Scarlet fever (scarlatina) is a bacterial infection, spread by coughing or sneezing or touching surfaces with the bacteria on it and transferring the bacteria to the mouth or nose. It is highly infectious and was a major cause of death in children during the 1800s. There is still no vaccine, but the impact of the disease was mitigated by the invention of antibiotics in the 20th century.
So contagious was the disease that the Hospital Board refused to accept infected patients in 1890 because of the risk to other patients and staff, until a separate isolation ward was built. A tent with a wooden floor at the western edge of the campus was the solution provided. In 1891 as further cases occurred an isolation ward was partitioned off in the main fever ward so the tent was no longer used; a “hot box” was investigated to use heat to sterilise patients clothing and beddinginstead of burning them. Ipswich Council, which was the Public Health authority, was asked for assistance.
The following has been extracted from the scathing press report of the Council’s reply.
Queensland Times, Ipswich Herald and General Advertiser (Qld. : 1861 - 1908), Thursday 30 April 1891, page 2.
“We are the custodians of the public health," said his Worship the Mayor, at Monday's meeting of the Council, “but we are also the custodians of the public wealth." That is a statement which cannot be refuted. Evidently, the Council, however, were of opinion that the public wealth was by far the most important object of the two, and that the other was only at secondary importance - indeed, was hardly worthy of their consideration judging by their decision with reference to the letter from the secretary of the Ipswich Hospital with regard to the outbreak of scarlet fever.”
The writer pointed out that scarlet fever is a most infectious disease, and frequently spread rapidly throughout a whole town and district. The results would be appalling as far as finding accommodation for their treatment at the Hospital is concerned. The medical and nursing staff had already sufficient work to perform, and the expense to the institution would, without doubt, be the means of militating against its efficiency for years. It would be a calamity to not only Ipswich, but the whole of the surrounding district which every individual, private or public, should do his utmost to avert.
“Already the treatment of the two cases at the hospital is proving rather expensive Proper means have had to be devised for their isolation, and two nurses one for the day and another for the night have to be kept to attend upon them alone. The letter from the secretary of the institution should, therefore, have received far more consideration at the hands of the aldermen, the majority of whom appeared to think that it was presumption on the part of the Hospital authorities to ask that provision should be made so that they would be to some extent recouped for the patients' maintenance. Instead of sneering at the Hospital committee, by hinting that they would soon want all the rates, they would have shown far better taste had they calmly deliberated upon the subject as its importance deserved.”
The reporter emphasised also that as 'custodians of the public health’ the council could have considered the fact that town cabs were being used to convey persons suffering from contagious diseases to the institution, and it would be almost impossible to stamp out disease while public vehicles were used for this. If they were that anxious about the health of their constituents, they should ban licensed vehicle proprietors from taking persons so suffering in their conveyances, and provide a vehicle to do so.
“But, no; the representatives of the ratepayers are not going to assist the hospital authorities in the least in checking the disease.”
“In effect they say, "We have assisted you enough already; we have given you a donation; we have a number of Hospital tickets; our Health officer will give the scarlet fever patients a ticket saying whether, in his opinion, their friends are able to pay or not; and then we wash our hands of the affair. They can get to the Hospital as they like, and the disease can spread as it likes.”
The writer said there were questions to be seriously considered by council - how long would those tickets last, if there is an outbreak of scarlatina, and every patient had to be admitted on a ticket from the Health Officer; were those tickets ever intended for such an outbreak; and, if those tickets all run out, on whose tickets are Corporation labourers to be admitted if they are disabled? The council should be ever ready to prevent the spread of disease.
“In the present instance they have failed to do their duty as the custodians of the public health, and we hope that they will, as soon as possible, amend their recent decision by resolving to, at least, devise some means other than a licensed vehicle for conveying persons suffering from contagious diseases to the Hospital.”
