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hospital for other causes. These are called cross infections and
occur when a patient is being treated in hospital for one disease,
say measles or hooping cough, and contracts another disease,
e.g., scarlet fever or diphtheria, from some other hospital patient.
Unfortunately, they occur in nearly all fever hospitals and point
to serious flaws in their administration.
All the houses where cases occurred were visited and inspected.
Nuisances that called for remedy were made the subject of notice
and amendment. The rooms, the bedding and the clothing were
disinfected. There were two return cases.
Cases discharged for Home.—In Finsbury every case discharged
from the fever hospital is visited soon after return home
and carefully examined. The possibility of further infection is
explained to the mother, suitable measures suggested, and a leaflet
of instruction left with her.
Special attention is paid to children who develop a discharge
from the nose after their return home, to children with adenoids,
and to children with sores on their lips and their faces. Eighteen
such cases were kept under the supervision of the Medical Officer
for periods varying from one to three months before they were
certified as being free from infection and fit to resume school
attendance.
The cases examined alter their return home from fever hospitals
had the following complications : enlarged neck glands 26, general
weakness of limbs 19, discharge from' nose 15, sores on lips, face,
mouth, or nostrils 2, conjunctivitis 5, discharge from cars 2,
peeling on hands or feet 2, sore throat 4, and shortness of breath
19 cases.
DIPHTHERIA.
The number of cases notified was 163. Of these, 15 were
subsequently sent home as not suffering from diphtheria, leaving
148 true cases.