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96
may have been some connection between these two cases and
Alice D—
There would thus appear to be strong evidence pointing to
Alice D—as the probable channel by which the disease gained
access to the Institute. This child suffered with sore throat
shortly after her return home for the summer holidays. She
returned to the school on the 18th August and on the 28th was
noticed to have swollen glands in the neck (probable signs of her
recent illness). She was isolated for a week, and later (after the
commencement of the outbreak) was found, on bacteriological
examination, to have the Klebs-Loeffler diphtheria bacillus present
in her throat.
How the disease reached the senior school it is impossible to
say definitely. Only 2 cases occurred amongst the 200 pupils in this
part of the Institute. Marjorie S—, one of the 2 patients
attacked, had been, prior to the summer vacation, a pupil in the
Junior School. She had on her return been admitted straight away
to the Senior School. She had a sister (Violet S—) who was
already a pupil in the Senior School. Swabs taken from the latter
were found to be negative. Whether, therefore, Marjorie S—
had the disease germ, in a latent form, in her throat prior to
leaving for the summer vacation, or contracted the disease after
her return, it is difficult to say. The latter hypothesis is, I think,
the more likely.
Four of the patients, while lying in the Infirmary, contracted
scarlet fever. In addition two other children in the Junior School,
during the diphtheria outbreak, contracted scarlet fever. How
the disease reached the Institute could not be definitely traced.
It is probable, however, that it was introduced from without, the
disease being prevalent in Battersea at the time.
Preventive Measures Taken.
The preventive measures taken were as follows:—
(a) Notification, (b) isolation, (c) disinfection, (d) medical inspection
of "contacts " and "suspects," (c) antitoxin.