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53
precautionary measures against the spread of diphtheria. Should a
positive result be obtained in the case of children showing no evidence
of diphtheria, the presence of some measure of infection is assumed,
and much valuable light on the origin of outbreaks is obtained. Your
Medical Officer takes swabs of all contacts or suspicious cases whenever
they come to his notice.
The Council now provides diphtheria anti-toxin for the use of medical
men, including Poor Law Medical Officers. Practitioners in the borough
may obtain from the Public Health Department anti-toxin sufficient
for their purposes, upon sending a written order stating the name, age,
and address of the patient, together with the doctor's name, and stating
that it is 10 be used for a poor inhabitant of the borough. If the patient
is able to pay, we find the medical man quite willing to pay us the
actual cost of the anti-toxin which he obtains for the patient.
It is desirable that medical men should be aware of these facilities,
and emphasis laid on the importance of prompt treatment by anti-toxin,
and the saving of life which may be effected.
Bacteriological examinations were made during the year of 228
specimens of membrane, of which 61 were found to be positive
and 167 negative.