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75
In the past year the diphtheria accommodation was not sufficient to meet all
demands, so that the figures, like those for scarlet fever, represent the actual
admissions, but not the number that would have been admitted had there been room
for all applicants.

On the 18th March, 1893, the Managers instructed a Special Committee to
consider and report upon the increase of admissions of cases of diphtheria into the
Managers' hospitals, and generally upon the whole question of the accommodation
which was then provided for the treatment of such cases, and to make such recommendations
as regards its enlargement, improvement, and distribution as the past
experience and the probable necessities of the future might appear to demand.
In submitting their Report to the Board on the 13th May, the Special Committee
referred to the annually increasing number of patients received into the Managers'
hospitals, and stated that the whole of the beds hitherto provided at those hospitals
for cases of diphtheria had on several occasions been exhausted. In the opinion of
the Committee,
"these facts and figures show that the Managers may not unreasonably anticipate
"a far greater proportionate number of patients suffering from diphtheria being
"admitted into their hospitals in the future than in the past; but, although your
"Committee are convinced of the urgent need of making further provision for the
"accommodation of diphtheria (as well as of scarlet fever), they feel that it would
"be premature to make any suggestions as to its enlargement, improvement, or
"distribution until additional hospital sites are at the disposal of the Board.
"When these additional sites shall have been acquired by the Managers,
"your Committee consider that, in designing the hospitals to be erected thereon,
"particular attention should be paid to the probable increase in the number of
"diphtheria patients, and the accommodation for patients in such hospitals so
"designed and distributed as to admit of a greater proportionate number of
"diphtheria patients being accommodated and isolated than is the case in some
"of the hospitals of the Managers where cases of diphtheria are now received."
Until this accommodation is provided and patients are speedily
isolated it is hopeless to expect that the disease, which from its first
appearance is so infectious, can be stamped out, especially in Islington,
where the people are aggregated on such a limited space.
The cases of diphtheria in this parish occurred for the greater part
in its upper and lower thirds, leaving the intermediate area with