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the Diagnosis Box be received before 3 p.m. at the Health Department, Vestry
Hall, Pancras Road, N. W., a Report of the bacteriological examination will be
communicated within twenty-four hours (holidays and holy-days excepted).
Note.—The nearest place where Diphtheria Antitoxin can be obtained is
the British Institute of Preventive Medicine, 101, Great Russell Street, W.C.
Directions as to Enteric or Typhoid Fever.
In the Diagnosis Box the plugged tube containing two sterilised pipettes is
for liquid blood. The best method of obtaining it is to thoroughly cleanse
and dry the top of a finger of the patient, to bind the finger from the second
to the third knuckle joint, and to prick the tense skiu with a large needle so
as to cause a large bead of blood to collect. Then to break off the tiny ballpoint
and dip the pipette into the blood, remove the cotton wool plug from the
stem, and suck up into the bulb two or three drops of blood. Finally, to break
off the stem, and carefully and slowly seal in a flame both the ends left projecting
from the bulb. These ends should be as long as possible, the dry end
should be sealed first, and, in sealing the ends, should just touch the edge of
the flame. If the Diagnosis Box be received before 3 p.m. at the Health
Department, Vestry Hall, Pancras Road, N.W., a Report of the bacteriological
examination will be communicated within twenty-four hours (holidays and
holy-days excepted).
The package is then wrapped round with special-shaped envelope, addressed
"immediate, The Medical Officer of Health, Yestry Hall, Pancras Road,
London, N. W," and inserted into a special-shaped envelope for delivery to the
medical practitioner.
The charged boxes are forwarded every afternoon about four p.m. to the
British Institute of Preventive Medicine, and as soon as the Report is received
next day from that Institution the result is immediately forwarded to the
medical practitioner.
DIPHTHERIA PREVALENCE.
The Annual Report for the year 1894 contained a summary of the facts
with regard to diphtheria prevalence, as judged by the mortality, down to and
including the year 1890. Later figures can now be quoted to bring the
statistics up to the end of 1895.

* Includes also Typhus and Simple Continued Fever.