View report page

86
fresh admissions suffering from measles, whooping-cough and
other infectious diseases), much difficulty was experienced in
isolating these cases temporarily.
It is to be regretted that, amongst the other suggestions
made to the Guardians by the Medical Superintendent and myself
(all of which, with this exception, were adopted by them), this
was not considered practicable. As showing the necessity, in my
opinion, for this course of action, an extract from my report to
the Health Committee, dealing with this matter, may be quoted:—
". . . . For some time past I have advised that all suspicious
cases and patients sent to the Infirmary from the
Workhouse in Swaffield Road should have swabs taken (from
them) for bacteriological examination at the Receiving Room
at the Infirmary. Of 27 patients examined on admission
since this arrangement was made, 12 were found to be (clinically
or bacteriologically) suffering from Diphtheria, and removed
to the Metropolitan Asylums Board Hospital, and in
the remainder organisms morphologically simulating the true
diphtheria germ were found to be present. These suspect
cases were isolated in the Isolation Ward, and one of them
to-day has been reported to be a positive case. It is clear
that these cases could not have been infected at the Infirmary,
and I have made careful enquiries, from which it would appear
that some of them at least may have probably been infected at
the Workhouse. I wrote to the Guardians on the 16th instant
(March), drawing attention to the fact that the disease may
have been introduced, at least in part, from the Workhouse,
and suggesting it would be desirable from the evidence in my
possession, and having regard to the difficulties experienced
in securing adequate isolation at the Infirmary, to stop all
further admissions from the Workhouse, Branch Workhouse
and Intermediate Schools until the patients are pronounced
to be, upon evidence based on bacteriological examination,
free from Diphtheria.
"I have received a reply from the Guardians, enclosing
at the same time an extract from the Report of their