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apparently having some connection with an unrecognised case that was
attending the Infant Department during the early stage of illness.
Diphtheria.—In 1907, 158 cases of diphtheria (including 3 of
membranous croup) were notified in Chelsea, equivalent to a case-rate
of 211 per 10,000, as compared with 216 in 1906. In the first quarter
of the year 33 cases were notified, in the second quarter 36, in the third
quarter 41, and in the fourth quarter 48. The percentage of cases of
school ages (3 to 13 years) of the total number in the Borough was 72
per cent., the same percentage as in 1906. In North Chelsea 84 cases
were notified, and in South Chelsea 74.
Contrary to what is usual, there were more cases of diphtheria
notified in August (16) than in July (13), but this was due to special
incidence of the disease at this time on the children of the St. George's
Home, Milman-street. In this Home, in which there is accommodation
for 70 children, aged 3 to 16 years, 5 cases of diphtheria were notified
between the 26th July and the 30th August, and subsequently 6 cases
were notified between the 27th November and the 4th December. The
children attend the Cook's Ground School. The source of the infection
in neither outbreak could be definitely traced. It may have been
derived from attendance at the Cook's Ground School; or in the case of
the first outbreak, it may have been acquired at a garden party at
Putney, given by the Ministering Children's League on the 17th July,
which was attended by 50 children, over 8 years of age, from St. George's
Home. The sanitary condition of the Home is good, the building being
only a few years old.
There was no other special incidence of diphtheria upon any particular
school or public institution in the Borough during the course of
the year.
The average duration of stay in hospital of 110 cases, of which
the records are to hand, was 52 days, as against 49 in 1906. Fourteen
cases admitted during the year to the M.A.B. hospitals were subsequently
certified by the Medical Superintendents of those institutions not to be
suffering from diphtheria or any other notifiable disease, the corresponding
number in 1906 being 11. The average duration of the stay in
hospital of 10 of these cases was 19 days. One case of diphtheria on
discharge from a M.A.B. hospital was stated to be still suffering from
rhinorrhœa, but free from diphtheria bacilli.
During the year medical practitioners sent 90 throat swabbings to
the Lister Institute for bacterioscopic diagnosis, the costs being defrayed
by the Borough Council. Seventy-one of these swabs were sent by
the medical staff of the Victoria Hospital in respect of Chelsea children.
Of the total of 90 swabbings, 41, or 44 4 per cent., afforded positive
evidence of the presence of the specific diphtheria bacillus, and 49, or
55.6 per cent. gave negative evidence. Four out of the 41 " positive "
swabbings also showed the presence of Hoffman's pseudo-diphtheria
bacillus, and 13 of the " negative " swabbings contained this bacillus.
Enteric Fever.—The number of cases of enteric fever notified in
Chelsea in 1907 was 21, as against 17 in 1906, the case-rate again being