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44
ments should refuse to arrange for bacteriological examinations of swabs taken for
diagnosis of diphtheria ; while such a proposal is extreme the fact that it has been
made by Medical Officers of Health of long experience emphasises the importance
of making the diagnosis on what is seen in the throat and of injecting antitoxin
straight away in any case in which diphtheria is suspected, a proceeding harmless
(except the patient be a sufferer from spasmodic asthma) if it turns out from a
bacteriological examination that the patient is not suffering from diphtheria.
The Shick Test and Immunisation against Diphtheria.
This work is carried on at the Council's Maternity and Child Welfare Centre,
10, John Street, on Wednesday afternoons.
During the first half of the year we were again indebted to Mr. Henry
Wellcome who gave permission for his research staff of bacteriologists to continue
to carry on the work; when the work had been firmly established and they were
unable to attend on account of other research work, the Health Committee
arranged for the work to be carried on by a well-known bacteriologist, Dr. Goodwin
Eawlinson, who commenced on July 18th.
Enquiries as to the effect of the testing and inoculation on the individual were
made as a routine; we are able to record that any disturbance caused was
negligible.
Information as to the work carried out is given in the following Tables: —

The child positive after the third inoculation has been re-inoculated and found
to be negative.
Eighteen others were Schick tested in 1923 and were still undergoing
immunisation at the end of the year.
Six others Schick tested in 1922 received three inoculations each in 1923.