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is in the continued low rate of the West ward, which in former
years was noted for its high rate.
28. Plumstead Road with 9 cases, and Earl Street and
Burrage Grove with 7 each were the schools most affected.
Most of the cases did not attend any School.
29. The 110 cases occurred in 87 houses. Only 12 houses
had more than one case each.
30. The steady decrease in the number of cases of diphtheria,
and more especially in the number of deaths, in the
past three years, is a subject of congratulation. The large
proportion of cases which went to the Fever Hospital is
evidence of the appreciation by the public of the benefit of the
anti-toxin treatment. As there was no lack of accommodation
at the Hospital, it was not necessary to take advantage of the
supply of anti-toxin offered by the Asylums Board, when the
Hospitals are full.
31. Towards the end of the year, you authorized me to
incur the expense of having a bacteriological examination made
in any doubtful case of Diphtheria, as I recommended in my
last report.
The method adopted is to keep at the Health Office tubes
and swabs all prepared for obtaining the secretion of a
suspected throat; when a medical man has a case in which he
suspects Diphtheria, but is not certain as to the diagnosis, he
applies to the Health Office, a tube is supplied, which after
use he puts in a case provided with the tube, and forwards it
to the Clinical Research Society. The Society sends a report
by telegraph within 24 hours, which is then forwarded to me.
No examinations were made before the end of 1898, but several