44 THE FEVER CENSUS 



Some doctors dislike imparting information concern- 

 ing the total number of patients treated by them, 

 and their wishes in this should be respected. The 

 percentages obtained from the hospital and dispen- 

 sary records do not suffer from this disability. There 

 will soon be a list showing that out of a number of 

 sick persons treated in the town there were so many 

 that had suffered from " fever," and these cases of 

 " fever " are classified. 



Similar inquiries should be made from the em- 

 ployers of regular labour. From factories, work- 

 shops, dock-boards, stores, municipal stables, police 

 barracks, offices anywhere where a number of 

 people are employed. The owners and managers of 

 such establishments and organisations must be ap- 

 proached carefully, however. They are very liable 

 to become frightened at the approach of the health 

 authority ; and their fright will exhibit itself in re- 

 ticence. They will not hesitate to make exaggerated 

 statements concerning the health or the reverse of 

 their workpeople, if they think it will be an adver- 

 tisement, or will save trouble. For example, the 

 manager of an hotel will rarely speak out about the 

 health of its visitors. So, too, with the manager of 

 a workhouse, or the director of a reformatory or 

 prison. The health officer must be tactful in such 

 matters, or he will find a closed door. It is better 

 to deal with the medical advisers to such establish- 

 ments if he can. If this is not possible, he must 

 first advertise his reasons for making the inquiries. 

 Let him put a notice in the local newspaper asking 



