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During the year 1,669 throat swabs were examined at the council's laboratory at Princess
Louise hospital, and 22 of these showed the presence of the diphtheria bacillus.
Nine cases of diphtheria were reported from St. Mary Abbots hospital, 66 from St. Charles
hospital, and 21 from Princess Louise hospital.
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 doctor 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 antitoxin
is obtainable at all hours of the day and night from Mr. Evans's and Mr. Reeves's premises,
and during office hours from the town hall. When the town hall is closed, applications for antitoxin
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 lend 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 1937 the borough council supplied 116,000 units of anti-toxin for 11 patients at a cost of
£7 8s. Od.
Diphtheria Immunisation.
The arrangement, under which doctors practising in the borough carry out immunisation of
children on behalf, and at the cost, of the council, continued in operation throughout 1937. From
the introduction of the scheme in 1934 to the end of 1937 the number of children immunised has
been 3,557.
Dr. Guy Bousfield continued throughout the year to hold a schick-testing clinic at No. 28b,
Archer Street. The total number of children attending for pre-immunisation schick tests
was 93, of which number 58 gave a positive reaction. The number of children who were
presented for Schick testing after having received immunising inoculations totalled 523 ; of this
number 453 proved negative, 36 remained positive, and 34 failed to reattend for the reading.
It is unfortunate that the total number of children immunised during the year was only 614,
which represents approximately only one-fourth of the children born in the borough during that
period.
Considerable efforts have been made to bring the value of diphtheria immunisation to the notice
of the public. The health lecturer frequently spoke on this subject at welfare centres, clubs and so
on ; the council have purchased a diphtheria immunisation film which the health lecturer showed
as often as possible; and all members of the staff were constantly bringing the advantages of this
preventive measure to the notice of parents with whom they came in contact.
Enteric Fever.—Fourteen cases of this disease were notified, five being in South Kensington
and nine in North Kensington. Twelve of the patients were removed to hospital.
There was a small outbreak of five cases, and two of the patients died. These five cases
occurred in two tenement houses in North Kensington and the number of intimate contacts was 41.
As the opportunity for spreading the disease in these two houses was considerable, the most thorough
measures to prevent such spread were taken. This included the prophylactic inoculation of 37 contacts
with Felix's anti-typhoid serum in order to confer passive immunity and immediate protection.
This is the first time that this serum has been used for such a purpose, although it has been in use
in the actual treatment of typhoid fever in different parts of the world during the last three years.
No case occurred among those who were thus protected.
Of the remaining cases one occurred in a nurse who had been in professional attendance on a
case of enteric fever contracted in the Croydon area, where there had been an epidemic.
The other eight cases were all of the sporadic type.
The two deaths mentioned above were the only ones to occur during the year.
Erysipelas.—Seventy-two cases were notified, 46 of these being removed to hospital. There
were 3 deaths from this disease, as compared with 7, 3 and 5 in the three preceding years.