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large infectious hospitals under the Asylum Board's control, they
would greatly value the expression by the College of an opinion
as to whether, and, if so, under what conditions, the present
period of detention in hospital could consistently with public
safety be shortened. "
The report of the Fever Committee appointed by the College
was as follows :—
1. " The Committee have carefully considered Dr. Simpson's
report and the documents referring thereto, for the purpose of
expressing an opinion as to whether, and if so, under what
conditions, the present period of detention of patients in the
hospitals of the Metropolitan Asylums Board could consistently
with public safety be shortened.
2. The Committee are impressed with the small percentage
of those cases which, on investigation, were found to have given
rise to fresh infection, viz., 1.1 per cent, on the total cases
discharged from hospital, of diphtheria and scarlet fever taken
together. They also note that of these, no fewer than 80 per
cent, were suffering from some mucous discharge, either during
their stay in hospital, or shortly subsequent to their return home.
3. The total number of return cases of diphtheria was 21,
equal to a percentage of .5 on the cases of diphtheria discharged.
With reference to the length of detention after diphtheria, the
Committee are of opinion that this can only be left to the discretion
of the several medical superintendents. The importance
of the question of return cases mainly turns on the length of
detention of scarlet fever cases, which are more numerous than
those of diphtheria. The proportion of the return cases in diphtheria
is small, viz., .5 per cent, of the patients discharged after
suffering from that disease ; and apart from that difficulty which
is occasionally experienced in respect to the recognition of the
specific bacillus, a difference of opinion exists as to the practicability
of regulating a patient's detention by bacteriological
examination alone.