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53
DIPHTHERIA.
Return cases of diphtheria are not so common as
those of scarlet fever. We only had one case in 1905
and that doubtful. Most of the cases from Bethnal
Green go to the Eastern Hospital. Dr. Goodall informs
me that no patient is discharged from this hospital
until two consecutive bacteriological examinations of
swabs from the throat prove negative. Since this
practice has been adopted we have had no true return
cases in Bethnal Green.
REMOVAL OF INFECTIOUS SICK.
In November the Metropolitan Asylums Board
issued some amended regulations for facilitating the
removal to hospital of patients suffering from infectious
disease. The procedure is much simplified; all that
is now necessary is for the doctor in attendance to
write out and leave with the friends an informal certificate
stating the name, age, sex, disease and full
address of the sick person; these particulars must be
communicated by telephone (any private instrument or
public call office) to the Metropolitan Asylums Board
(2461 Holborn) and the patient will be removed
without the intervention of the sanitary officers or any
further formality. Except in times of pressure it is
usually possible to remove patients from most parts of
London within an hour of the receipt of the application.
The formal notification required by Sec. 55 of The
Public Health (London) Act, 1891, must be forwarded
by the doctor to the Medical Officer of Health in due
course.