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been efficiently disinfected. The result justified the means taken,
as the outbreak of pseudo-Diphtheria has been stamped out;
whilst, although pseudo-throats appear, in the light of our present
knowledge, to form a suitable breeding-ground upon which true
Diphtheria may at any time become ingrafted and spread rapidly
(the pseudo-Bacilli apparently, at times, changing into the true
Diphtheria Bacilli, and vice versâ), only one such true Diphtheria
case developed, making a total of 5 Diphtheria cases altogether.
It was not necessary to take the extreme measure of closing the
school and distributing the scholars over various parts of London
and elsewhere—a procedure that may have to be adopted at
times e.g., when the school buildings are found to be insanitary,
the school attendance much interfered with, etc.
Investigation points to the cause of the outbreak of epidemic
sore-throats (pseudo-Diphtheria) in connection with the school,
being the introduction of the disease from without by some
scholar or scholars, on returning from their summer holidays on
September 3rd—the first case of sore-throats being noticed on
September 7th, followed by 40 fresh cases during the month of
September.
Other Examinations.
A doubtful cas,e of anthrax and a doubtful case of tuberculous
urine were examined, but a negative result obtained in each.
The value of a Bacteriological examination is as an aid to diagnosis
; it cannot take the place of a clinical examination. Remembering
this important fact, the examinations that have been made
have proved of the greatest value, not only in settling disputes
in diagnosis and clearing up what would otherwise have remained
doubtful cases, but also in preventing the spread of infectious
diseases, by enabling all cases to be discovered, and outbreaks
thereby stamped out, more quickly than could otherwise have
been expected.