Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Report on the vital and sanitary statistics of the Borough of Lambeth during the year 1905
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involved in this connection was considerable—the whole of the
bacteriological examinations having been made in the Borough
Laboratory, and practically confirmed in each case by outside
independent bacteriologists. Table VII. gives particulars of
the bacteriological examinations, from which it will be seen
that many different germs were isolated from the many swabs
taken from the noses and throats of the children. A summary
of the monthly bacteriological examinations is as follows:—
1905.
Norwood
Parochial
Schools.
Lambeth
Workhouse.
Lambeth
Infirmary.
Totals.
May 40 — — 40
June 161 8 37 206
July 730 134 60 924
August 78 3 28 109
September 9 — 2 11
October 12 — 2 14
November 24 — 4 28
1054 145 133 1332
Summary.
The one fact that is definitely and incontrovertedly proved, as
the result of investigation, is that the Infirmary at the Norwood
Schools was the primary cause of the Diphtheria spreading into
the Main Building (C South) during the present 1905 outbreak,
as it was proved to have, in part, spread the Measles outbreak
during 1902-3; and for exactly the same reason, viz., that
convalescent children (convalescent from all sorts of illnesses) from
the Main Building were allowed to return from the Infirmary
direct to the Main Building without passing first through a
Probation or Convalescent Ward. These Main Building children
had been in contact, whilst in the Infirmary, with other children,
who had been admitted into the same Infirmary from the
Receiving Ward, the Probation Ward, or even practically direct
from houses in Lambeth Borough; and who might (and did)
prove to be sickening for, if not actually suffering (in an
unrecognised form) from, infectious disease. Such a danger was