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Finsbury compares most favourably with London and England and
Wales as a whole.
Measures already taken.—In Finsbury, nearly every case of
diphtheria is removed to the infectious disease hospitals of the
Metropolitan Asylums Board at the earliest opportunity. Very
few cases are treated at home.
Facilities for early diagnosis are afforded to doctors practising
in the borough. The Medical Officer of Health is always ready
and willing to see suspected cases with the doctors in attendance.
Swabs from the nose and throat of suspected cases are examined
at the Royal Institute of Public Health at the expense of the Borough
Council. Outfits are supplied, too, for this purpose to the local
doctors.
In 1927, 755 specimens were submitted, with positive results
in 87 instances.
Diphtheria antitoxin serum is kept at the Public Health
Department, and is available gratis for doctors on request for the
treatment of Finsbury patients, at the earliest possible opportunity,
even before removal to hospital, and for those occasional
patients who are too ill to be removed and are treated at home.
Fees are paid to medical men for administering the serum.
Cases of diphtheria discharged from hospital as cured are
examined very carefully shortly after their return home, and a
record kept of their condition. If necessary swabs are taken from
the nose and throat for bacteriological examination. Any cases
suspected of harbouring the diphtheria bacillus in nose or throat
are kept under the personal supervision of the Medical Officer of
Health, treated and kept away from school until found to be free
of the bacillus by bacteriological examination.
Leaflets of instruction are given to the parents of the patients
at the removal of the patient, and at his discharge from hospital.
Cases Discharged cured from Hospitals.—A few days after
their return home from fever hospitals all patients are examined
very carefully, and a record kept of their condition. A leaflet is
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