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causing, or assisting in causing, a diphtheria outbreak
owing to mild or "carrier" cases of the disease being unrecognised
amongst the scholars.
It may be noted, however, that the earliest
notified Lambeth case (the children of a distributor
of dairy Y) attended Woodland Road L.C.C.
school, in the same girls' department as another Lambeth
case (the child of a distributor of dairy X), and there was
evidence pointing to the probability of these cases being
connected, the latter arising from the former.
SUMMARY.
A .—Facts in javour of an ordinary infected milk supply—
(1) Incidence as regards (a) social position of persons
notified, and (b) class of houses infected.
(2) Slightness of virulence of diphtheria poison, as
shewn by (a) mildness of cases treated and
lessened (practically absent) mortality (1 death
only), and (b) lessened contagiousness of the diseasie
(only 117 notified cases reported out of a total of
not less than 10,000 milk consumers).
(3) Outbreak of ordinary "sore throat" in the area
affected, i.e., within the area of the diphtheria prevalence,
before and during the outbreak.
(4) Infection operative (a) during limited time, and (b)
with rapidity of decline.
N.B.—The rapidity of decline of the infection
may be due to the pasteurisation of the infected
milk, prior to its distribution on and from December
12th, 1913.
B.—Facts against an ordinary infected milk, supply—
(I) Local incidence not following exactly the milk carts
or churns.