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50
Report of the Medical Officer of Health.
During the past two years, Diphtheria has been endemic in this
locality. In 1903, 54 cases occurred among children attending this
school; five in January, five in February, one in March, none in April,
two in May, five in June, eight in July, one in August, six in September,
seven in October, 11 in November, and three in December.
During the present year, two cases occured in January, four in
February, three in March, five in April, and ten in May up to the
present date. The Medical Officer to the School Board was fully
aware of the seriousness of the outbreak, and was kept informed by
the teachers of the cases occurring.
In November, 1903, he made a careful inspection of the school,
and the throats of a large number of children in the Infants' Department
were examined, with the result that several children were
excluded from attendance as they were suffering from sore throat.
During the present year he made an examination on the 2nd May, and
swabbed the throats of 40 children in the Infants' Department with
the result that in two a positive result was obtained. These 40
children were in three classes in which there had been children in
attendance suffering from Diphtheria. On the nth May, the throats
of the whole of the children in Class B (53 in number) were swabbed,
with the result that positive results were obtained in two cases.
I am of opinion that in this outbreak, as in several others which
have occurred in this district, unrecognised cases have been the main
source of infection, owing to the fact that even after a careful inspection
and isolation of suspected children notifications continued to be
received, and the closing of the whole of the Departments in the
Infants' School was advised.
The whole of the rooms of this Department have been disinfected
by the sanitary staff, and I trust that the means which have been
taken will have the desired effect of stopping the outbreak.
There is, however, one feature of some importance in regard to
the infection of children in this school, viz., the attendance of children
from outside the Borough. I have been informed that several children
from Lonesome are in attendance at this school, and also that cases
of Diphtheria have occurred among children residing in Lonesome
The Medical Officer of Health for the Croydon Rural District, of which
Lonesome forms a part, informs me that sore throats are endemic in