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13
It has been assumed from this that Isolation Hospitals are a
failure. Probably what such statistics really prove is that
they have little or no bearing on the case at all, and the real
reason for the continued prevalence of Infectious diseases must be
differently explained.
I am inclined to the opinion that the ordinary recognised
cases of Infectious disease, whether removed to hospital or
treated at home, are not chiefly concerned in this continued
prevalence, but that the greatest sources of infection are the
mild and unrecognised cases, coupled with compulsory school
attendance.
It is no uncommon occurrence to find a child in school desquamating
from Scarlet Fever, and yet the symptoms have been so
mild that the parents have been quite unaware of the illness ; or a
child with a mild sore throat or slight running from the nose is occasionally
found to be really suffering from unrecognised Diphtheria,
and has been distributing widely the bacteria of this disease. The
potentialities for evil of such cases are enormous. The
number of these, no doubt, not only varies widely in different
schools and localities, but the other factors on which infection
depends, such as susceptibility to infection, degree of overcrowding,
etc., also vary, and so tend to make comparison between
different towns exceedingly difficult.
If these views as to the chief causes of this continued prevalence
are correct, the next step is to suggest a remedy. I think the
new Act dealing with the Medical Inspection of School Children
will, if thoroughly carried out, tend to discover many of these
mild, but to the community, dangerous cases of infectious disease,
and therefore, will ultimately tend to do much to lessen their
prevalence.
There are, however, other points which should be mentioned
in discussing the value or otherwise of Isolation Hospitals, apart
from any statistics as to their effect on the community in limiting
the prevalence of disease,
B