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58
Twenty-four 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.

There were 26 instances where more than one case occurred in the same house.
The number of Kensington deaths was 14, representing a case mortality of 4 per cent. In
the three preceding years the deaths were 22, 29 and 7.
During the year, 1,501 throat swabs were examined at the council's laboratory at Princess
Louise Hospital, and of these 111 gave a positive result.
There were no " return " cases reported during the year.
Four cases of diphtheria were reported from St. Mary Abbots Hospital, five from St. Charles
Hospital, one from the Kensington Institution, and five from the Princess Louise Kensington
Hospital for Children.
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. 135, Ladbroke Grove, W.11, Mr. W. Reeves, chemist,
at No. 81, Cornwall Road, W.11, 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. Britton, 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 1934 the borough council supplied 276,000 units of anti-toxin for 36 patients at a cost of
£22 12s. Od.
The borough council undertake to supply toxoid-antitoxin for the Schick test and immunisation
to any medical practitioner in the borough who may be co-operating with the medical officer of
health in an attempt to limit the spread of diphtheria in any institution, provided that the consent
of the authorities of the institution and of the parents or guardians of the children concerned be
obtained.
The cost to the council of toxoid-antitoxin supplied during 1934 was £6 5s. 0d.
The council introduced during 1934 a scheme whereby medical practitioners can immunise
poor patients against diphtheria in return for a fee of 10s. paid by the council in respect of each
patient. Particulars of this scheme appear on page 64 of this report.
Enteric Fever.—Seven cases of this disease were notified; two were removed to hospital and
four to nursing homes. The cases notified in the three preceding years were 11, 14 and 16.
There were no deaths from this disease as against two and one in the preceding years. Four
cases were notified from the southern division of the borough and three came from North
Kensington.
In two cases there was evidence that the disease had been contracted abroad; one contracted
the disease during a visit to the country ; but the remaining four had not been out of London for
some time prior to their illness.
Erysipelas.—Eighty cases were notified during the year, 52 of which were removed to hospital.
There were eight deaths from this cause, the deaths in the three preceding years being ten, seven
and three.