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arranged for Dr. Embleton, of University College, to examine the
throats of all the inmates. This was done on Monday, 23rd March,
and his report was to the effect that (he throats of the inmates appeared
very much better than when swabbed on February 28th ; bacteriologically
also there was a marked improvement. The swabbing showed,
however, that there were 14 cases in which the diphtheria (Kleb's
Lueffler bacillus) was present; these were promptly removed to Hospital
and thorough disinfection carried out, The remaining inmates being
clinically and bacteriologically free from diphtheria were transferred
on March 25th to their temporary Home, and full information of the
occurrence of the disease was forwarded to the Medical Officer of Health
of Wandsworth, in whose district the temporary Home was situated,
and arrangements were made for a private medical practitioner to take
over the care of the children.
In my opinion the continued presence of diphtheria at the Home
was due to the " carrier " cases, which were not found until the complete
swabbing took place. It would be difficult, and probably very
unfair, to say that the condition of the building bred diphtheria de noro,
but the fact that there were so many sore throats, and the presence of
streptococci, apart from diphtheria clearly points to an unsatisfactory
sanitary and hygienic condition connected with the building that had
caused the inmates to be susceptible to diphtheria, and to make it a
suitable ground to flourish once the disease had been introduced.
The total number of cases of diphtheria that occurred was 68.
The subsequent history of the children removed to their temporary
home is interesting. From the time that they were removed only a
single case of diphtheria occurred among them ; there were no fresh
cases of sore throat after their removal; the general health of the
children improved very much, and during the two months prior to their
return to Hampstead they were in perfect health.
The Committee of the buildings at Rosslyn Hill grasped the matter
in a bold spirit. The Home has undergone a thorough and complete
renovation at the cost of many thousands of pounds, and it would be
difficult to find any sanitary defects in these buildings or grounds at the
present time.
The children returned to Hampstead in February, 1915. Since then
no case of notifiable infectious disease has occurred among children or
staff, and the health of the children has been excellent.