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77
DIPHTHERIA.
251 cases of Diphtheria were notified during the year, giving an
incidence rate of 17 per 1,000. On only three occasions since
Diphtheria became notifiable has a lower rate than this been experienced.
Having regard to the fact that many more cases are now
discovered as a result of bacteriological examination than would have
been possible before this aid to diagnosis was available, this low
incidence of Diphtheria is very satisfactory. Where there is reason to
suspect that the cases are school spread the throats of children in the
affected classes are swabbed and those found to be harbouring the
organism associated with Diphtheria are excluded from school and
treated as cases in an infectious condition.
In my last Annual Report I pointed out the distribution relationship
between Diphtheria and a particular type of drainage. The
Local Government Board, in response to the Council's request to be
permitted to make drainage bye-laws which should not call for the
intercepting trap, have been pursuing enquiries with regard to the
defects which formed the basis of the Council's application, but have
not yet reported whether they will be prepared to sanction the
omission of the interceptor from new drainage.
I append, therefore, a table showing the further results of continued
inspection of this unscientific appliance.