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can be said and that is that, among the positive cases, we discovered
a few who presented the symptoms of diphtheria, and
were notified in the usual way. The majority, however, were
simply "carriers," and although they had the bacilli in their
throats, could not be said to be suffering from the disease.
During the year the bacilli in these "carriers" were examined
as to virulence, and we discovered that about 50 per cent. were
virulent, and the curious part of it is that we have been unable
to trace any other cases to these virulent "carriers."
From all this the question arises as to whether it is worth
the trouble examining all these children, and whether we would
not get equally good results by simply excluding them from
school for a fortnight. It is very difficult to say, and one is
inclined to answer the question in a similar manner to the question
as to whether disinfection is any use. We do not know
how, in a great many of these infectious diseases, the organisms
are transmitted from one patient to another, but we know
that articles which have been in close contact with the patient
can become infected, and pass on infection for a short time after
contact with the patient, but we are in entire ignorance as to how
long the clothes, etc., retain infection, and as regards these
examinations and disinfection it seems better to continue both,
until we are able to give a positive answer to the questions set
forth above.