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187
1906
BACTERIOLOGICAL EXAMINATIONS.
During the year 376 pathological specimens were examined for the
purpose of diagnosing Diphtheria, Enteric Fever, and Phthisis, and of this
number 167 were swabs from diphtheritic throats, 56 blood from Enteric
Fever cases, and 153 sputum from phthisical patients.
Diphtheria.— Of the 167 swabs examined, 68, or 40.7 per cent., gave
indications of the disease. It may be pointed out that this is the largest
number of examinations that has been made for the diphtheria bacillus since
the Council undertook to make them for medical men.
Enteric Fever.—Of the 56 samples of blood, 27, or 48.2 per cent., gave
the necessary reaction to prove that the cases were Enteric Fever. The
number of specimens examined was identical with the preceding year.
Phthisis.—There were not quite so many specimens of sputum examined
as in the preceding year, when there were 218, but otherwise the number is
much larger than in any previous year.
In 57 instances the tubercle bacilli were detected, to the great assistance
of the medical men who forwarded them.
Since the close of the second quarter of 1898, 2,658 examinations have
been made for the medical profession, of which 1,003 were swabs from the
throats of diphtheritic patients, 662 were specimens of blood from Enteric
Fever patients, and 996 samples were sputum from the lungs or throats of
persons suspected to be suffering from phthisis.
The results of these examinations are set out in the following table:—
Diseases.
Total
Examinations.
Positive Results.
Negative Results.
Percentage
of
Positive Results.
Diphtheria
1,003
404
599
403
Enteric Fever
662
290
372
438
Phthisis
993
368
625
388
Totals
2,658
1,062
1,596
399