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106
1898
INFECTIOUS SICKNESS IN SCHOOLS.
As in past years, so in 1898, careful inquiry was made in every
instance as to the attendance at school of the children living in the
homes wherein the disease occurred, and as to the schools attended by
the patients if they were scholars.
Altogether it was found that 891 patients were scholars attending
one of the public elementary schools, a list of which will be found in
Table LXXXVIII.. and that 614 children, who, not being in attendance
at school themselves, lived in houses from which other children attended
In addition to these cases many hundred cases of Measles came
under notice, but as this matter was fully dealt with when writing of
(his disease in the earlier part of the report it is not now proposed to
dwell further on the subject.
It might also be mentioned that, during the latter part of the year
especially, the head teachers of the various Board Schools supplied the
Medical Officer of Health with the names and addresses of numerous
children who were absent from school by reason of Measles, Whooping
Cough, Mumps and Skin Affections.
BACTERIOLOGICAL DIAGNOSIS OF DIPHTHERIA, ENTERIC
FEVER AND PHTHISIS.
It became the duty of the Medical Officer of Health, in July, to
bring under the notice of the Public Health Committee the possibility
of diagnosing certain infectious diseases by Bacteriological Examination
and also the advantages that would be likely to accrue from their early
recognition.
Previous to this time, the matter had been under consideration, but
he only refrained from bringing it forward until he was in a position to
form some opinion as to its utility and as to its cost.