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referred to the Metropolitan Asylums Board for enquiry, and it
was ascertained that "the ambulance could not be sent at once
owing to the fog which then prevailed having caused the time
occupied on the earlier journeys (numbering sixteen) to be
unavoidably prolonged on account of the slow driving, sometimes
at a walking pace with the attendants at the horses heads with
fog lamps.—Hence the unfortunate delay." The explanation
was submitted to the Health Committee and it was admitted that
the delay was due to no negligence.
In Diphtheria as also in Scarlet fever, many cases occurred
during the year to which as the source of infection the highest
suspicion was attached to patients discharged from the hospitals
whilst still in an infectious condition, the following being a fairly
typical case. On the 19th September, 1898, a girl aged thirteen
years was removed to hospital from No. 11 Orville Road suffering
from Scarlet fever. Whilst under hospital treatment she contracted
Diphtheria and was eventually discharged from hospital on the
9th February, 1899, an and went home to No. 49 Henley Street, the
family having removed from Orville Road during the interval.
Within a few days other members of the family developed
Diphtheria, viz.:—on the 17th February, a sister aged ten years ;
on the 18th February, another sister aged eight years; on the
26th February, a boy aged eleven years; on the 28th, a girl aged
seven years; and on the 3rd March, two further cases, the
mother and a boy who was nine years of age. All the cases
were removed to hospital including the original, whom it was
found necessary to return for further treatment. The drains
were tested and no defect found, in fact they did not pass through
the house and had been relaid about three years previously. In
view of all • the facts it is evident that direct personal infection
was the cause of the outbreak, the child having been discharged
from hospital whilst still in an infectious condition. This case
amongst many others, was referred to the Metropolitan Asylums
Board for investigation by a specially appointed Medical Officer,
but down to the time of writing a report has not been published.