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33
had to wait their turn for admission; this caused a great deal of
inconvenience, and it is very difficult to judge the number of
extra cases that must have been caused in consequence of those
suffering from infectious diseases not being speedily isolated.
The hospital authorities, however, issued the following circular:
"Metropolitan Asylums Board.
"Norfolk House,
"Norfolk Street, W.C.
"26th November, 1896.
"Dear Sir,
"It having been found impossible to receive immediately
into any of the Fever Hospitals under the control of this Board
the case of Diphtheria for whose removal you have made application,
I forward herewith a Warrant for the delivery to the Medical
Practitioner attending the case, upon application to the Medical
Superintendent of any of the Institutions named on the back
thereof, of one bottle of anti-toxic serum for use in the treatment
of the patient.
"Before the anti-toxic serum can be obtained, it will be
necessary for the certificate at the foot of the Warrant to be
signed.
"If a further supply of serum be required, application must
be made to me for another Warrant.
"Yours faithfully,
"T. DUNCOMBE MANN,
"Clerk to the Board."
It will thus be seen that medical practitioners could, upon
making application in the form indicated, obtain a supply of antitoxic
serum for their use in diphtheria cases.
The question of the Water Supply being one of such great
importance, the reprint I give here of the Report of The Lancet
Special Commission on the Metropolitan Water Supply, with
regard to the Kent Water Works Company will, I think, be not
only interesting, but will be serviceable, if only for a reference.
C