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Advantage was taken by medical men of the means provided by the
City Council to have the diagnosis of their cases assisted by bacteriological
examination of swabbings from the nose or throat in 187 cases.
In 4 instances I had a bacteriological examination made of the
throats of the members of families in which a case had occurred, or
when children were excluded from school in consequence, and no medical
man was in attendance ; the bacillus was not present in any of them.
In one instance examination was made on account of other cases
occurring subsequent to the first patient's return from hospital—it
proved negative.
Typhoid Fever.—Of the 29 persons notified in the City 8 were
eventually declared not to be so suffering.
Of the 21 actual cases, 6 of the patients contracted the disease
out of London, most of them abroad ; 4 persons were infected from
previous cases, 2 being in one family, 3 were ill after eating shell fish,
and 2 after eating watercress ; no history as to the possible source of
infection was available in the remaining 6 cases.
Advantage was taken to obtain the City Bacteriologist's opinion in
6 cases.
Ophthalmia Neonatorum.—Twenty-four infants were notified as
suffering from this complaint. In 6 instances it was the first confinement.
Three of the children were illegitimate. Ten children were
treated at hospitals, 4 as in-patients. Twenty-one were reported to
have recovered without permanent impairment of vision, no information
could be obtained about 3 of the cases as the families left Westminster
before the eyes were better.
In each instance the Health Visitor has visited at the house daily,
or less frequently as the circumstances demanded, and has taken steps
to see that proper medical and nursing attention was secured for the
child. The Inspectors of the County Council under the Midwives' Act
have co-operated by calling attention to cases which come under their
observation.
1'lague.—Notifications were received from Port Sanitary Authorities
of 29 persons coming to Westminster from districts affected with
plague. They were kept under observation.
c