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34
"Our attention has been drawn to the difficulties which have
arisen in districts where diphtheria has been prevalent, consequent
upon children who have been excluded from school being certified
as free from disease by medical practitioners. With a view, therefore,
to dealing more thoroughly with the disease, the various medical
officers of health were asked to adopt the temporary arrangements
being carried out in Greenwich in the event of there being an outbreak
of diphtheria in their respective districts. These arrangements
involve that any children excluded from school on account of
diphtheria or sore throat during the prevalence of the disease should
not be readmitted without a certificate from the medical officer of
health that they were free from infection.
As a result of a conference of medical officers of health held
on April 27th, 1906, the undermentioned resolutions were passed:
" 'That in the opinion of this branch (Incorporated Society of
Medical Officers) it is not possible, in the absence of a bacteriological
examination, to decide that a child is free from the infection of
diphtheria. In the event of the prevalence of diphtheria in any
district, any child excluded for sore throat should not be readmitted
to school without a medical certificate of freedom from infection,
based on a bacteriological examination.'
"We are of opinion that it would greatly strengthen the hands
cf the various medical officers, and do much to reduce the present
risks of infection, if authority were given for the refusal, during the
presence of diphtheria in any district, of the readmission of children
excluded from school as suffering from diphtheria or sore throat
until they have obtained a medical certificate of freedom from infection.
based on a bacteriological examination. We are informed that
snch certificate can be given either by general practitioners or by the
medical officer of health, and would be free from the dangerous errors
of medical certificates given merely on the inspection of the children.
We recommend: