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68
Twenty-nine patients notified as suffering from diphtheria were found after admission to
hospital not to be suffering from any infectious disease at all, with the result that they were
returned home.
The number of Kensington deaths was eleven, representing a case mortality of 4 per cent.
In the three preceding years the deaths were 22, 11 and 15.
During the year, 1,941 throat swabs were examined at the Council's Laboratory at St. Mary
Abbots Hospital, and of these 112 gave a positive result.
It is well established that outbreaks of diphtheria may originate from persons who have the
germs of the disease in the throat or nose, but show no signs of illness. Such persons are called
"carriers" and with a view to discovering the possible existence of any of these in connection
with limited outbreaks where the source of infection was unknown, numerous throat and nose
swabs were taken by medical men at my request or by myself. These swabs are included in
the 1,941 referred to above.
There were sixteen instances where more than one case occurred in the same house and the
following are worthy of special mention.
A case of diphtheria occurred and nineteen days afterwards another case developed in a
family in the same house. The sister of the latter case, who was at work during the day, was
reported to be suffering continually from a sore throat. On examination by a doctor she was
found to be a "carrier" and was removed to hospital.
Two girls and their brother were admitted to hospital in October, 1928. The girls were
discharged in due course but the brother was kept in hospital until January, 1929. Two weeks
after the boy's discharge the mother fell ill and subsequent investigation showed that the boy
was a "carrier." He was again removed to hospital and no further case developed.
A girl, aged four years, had diphtheria in 1928 and again contracted the disease on the
2nd February, 1929. On 23rd February another child in the family developed the disease. The
remaining members of the family were swabbed and the mother was found to be a "carrier."
She was removed to hospital and no further case occurred.
A boy of two years was removed to hospital with diphtheria. His brother was examined
and found to have a nasal discharge. A swab taken from the nose proved positive and he was
removed to hospital. No further case occurred.
A child was removed to hospital suffering from diphtheria. It was found that another child
in the same family, who had been ill with a sore throat the previous week, had a nasal discharge.
This child proved to be a " carrier " and was removed to hospital.
There were four small outbreaks in hospitals in the Borough during the year, one in the
Princess Louise Kensington Hospital for Children, one in the Baby Hospital, No. 1,
Ladbroke Square and two in the St. Mary Abbots Hospital, Marloes Road.
In consequence of the first outbreak at St. Mary Abbots Hospital, it was made the practice
to swab all patients admitted to the Hospital who showed the least suspicious symptom such as
sore throat, nasal discharge, etc., and to place them in the isolation ward until a result had
been obtained. In this way fourteen patients who had been admitted were, within two days,
proved to be "carriers" and removed to Metropolitan Asylums Board Hospitals. These prompt
measures have no doubt been the means of preventing other cases developing.
Under the Anti-toxin Order, 1910, the Council are empowered to supply diphtheria antitoxin
for administration to patients who are too poor to pay, and on signing the necessary
declaration that the patient cannot afford specific treatment, a medical man can obtain a free
supply from Mr. Evans, Chemist, at No. 138, Ladbroke Grove, W.ll, Mr. W. Reeves, Chemist,
at No. 81, Cornwall Road, W.ll, or from the Public Health Department at the Town Hall. The
anti-toxin is obtainable at all hours of the day and night from Mr. Evans' and Mr. Reeves'
premises, and during office hours from the Town Hall. When the Town Hall is closed, applications
for anti-toxin can be made to Mr. Sutton, an Officer of the Department, who lives at No. 1,
Hornton Place, Hornton Street (only a few yards from the Town Hall).
The Council loan syringes with portable sterilizers to doctors for the purpose of administering
the anti-toxin. Medical men administering the Council's anti-toxin to poor persons are, on
application to the Medical Officer of Health, paid a fee of 5s. per patient treated.
In 1929, the Borough Council supplied 161,000 units of anti-toxin for 28 patients at a cost
of £12 4s. 6d.
Enteric Fever.—Seventeen cases of this disease were notified, eleven being removed to hospital
and one to a nursing home. The cases notified in the three preceding years were 10, 17 and 80.
There were no deaths from this disease against 2, 0 and 1 in the preceding years.