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46
Sanitary Committee, after view, adopted my recommendation
to substitute a pipe-ventilator, the erection of which put an
end to an undoubted nuisance.
The first case in the second group referred to, appears to
have been that of a male infant aged ten months, who, having
swellings on the neck, was taken to a doctor who diagnosed
"mumps." The same doctor was called in to a second child,
also a boy, aged two years, on or about the 25th July, at
which time the infant was still ill. This second case was
regarded and treated as membranous croup, but it was not
notified by the medical attendant as the Act directs. The
child, however, was seen on July 30th by another doctor, by
whom the case was notified forthwith as one of diphtheria.
On the 31st July this child died, the cause of death, as
certified by the first practitioner, being " membranous croup,"
a disease which the Registrar-General classifies as diphtheria.
On the 30th July the infant was seen by the second doctor,
who notified this case also as diphtheria. The child was
removed to hospital the same day, and died of diphtheria on
4th August. The grandmother of the two children lived in
the same house with two daughters, aged respectively 18 and
14 years. These girls, who had assisted in the nursing of the
two previous cases, were seen by the second doctor on the 31st
July, found to be suffering from diphtheria, and were removed
to hospital on the following day. The origin of the disease
was not traced, but the second, third, and fourth cases, doubtless, contracted the malady from the first and unrecognised
case.
ANTITOXIN TREATMENT OF DIPHTHERIA.
Reference has been made above to the beneficial results
attending the antitoxin treatment of diphtheria. In the
course of the year the Medical Superintendents of six of the
hospitals of the Asylums Board made a joint report, recording
their experience of "the use of antitoxin serum in the treatment