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17
duction of the treatment with antitoxic serum, it was 29.6 per
cent., a reduction of 8.8 per cent. Of children under 5 years
of age there was a reduction of 17.2 per cent., viz., from I7.4
to 30.2 per cent.
The Medical Superintendents of these Hospitals have
recently published a second elaborate and exhaustive report
on the results that have attended this treatment. Their
conclusions are thus summarised:—
"The improved results in the diphtheria cases treated during the
year 1896. which are indicated by the foregoing statistics and clinical
observations, are:—
(i.) A great reduction in the mortality of cases brought under
treatment on the first three days of illness.
(ii.) The lowering of the combined general mortality to a point
below that of any former year.
(iii.) The still more remarkable reduction in the mortality of
the laryngeal cases.
(iv.) The uniform improvement in the results of tracheotomy at
each separate hospital.
(v.) The beneficial effect produced on the clinical course of the
disease.
"We have had, in fact, somewhat better results to record for 1896
than we had for 1895.
"We would repeat what we stated last year as to the paramount
importance of commencing the treatment early; if possible, not later
than the second day of the disease."
The Board kindly consented to pay the expenses of
bacteriological examination of doubtful cases at the
Laboratory of Guy's Hospital. Four such cases were examined
during the last quarter of the year.