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The children in one school were specially examined from time to time on account
of outbreaks of ophthalmia.
In addition to investigations by medical officers, valuable work was done by
the school nursing staff in following up in the schools the medical officers' visits in
connection with the occurrence of scarlet fever, diphtheria and ophthalmia, as well
as in the special visitation of the schools under the measles scheme and of the schools
where there were outbreaks of whooping-cough, chickenpox, mumps, measles, scabies
and influenza.
In the course of 159 visits paid by the school medical staff to 130 departments
in elementary schools, 11,889 children were inspected and swabbings from the
throat and nose of 3,596 selected children were taken for bacteriological examination;
3,402 proved negative. In 194 (or 5.4 per cent.) bacilli morphologically
resembling diphtheria were found in culture, and were isolated for virulence testing
from 174 cases, 132 (or 75 per cent.) proving virulent and 42 non-virulent. In
addition, 364 crippled or debilitated but otherwise normal children were swabbed,
as a precautionary measure, prior to going to convalescent homes; diphtheria
bacilli were isolated in pure culture in five, one proving virulent and four nonvirulent.
Included among these two groups were 27 children from whose ears swabs
were taken; in two of them diphtheria bacilli were obtained but both proved nonvirulent.
In 91 subsequent reswabbings of those previously positive, 40 still showed the
presence of diphtheria bacilli; virulence tests applied to 13 isolated cultures showed
9 virulent and 4 non-virulent.
The arrangements made with Guy's and St. Mary's, Paddington, hospitals for
the treatment of diphtheria carriers at special out-patient clinics were continued
during 1936, and similar arrangements were made for the treatment of carriers at
the immunology department of the Hospital for Sick Children, Great Ormond-street.
Carriers were first referred to this last-named clinic in July. The clinic at the London
hospital was closed in May.
During 1936, 29 children from the Council's schools who were found to be harbouring
virulent diphtheria bacilli were sent to these clinics. The medical officers
in charge of the clinics have furnished reports on the methods of treatment employed
and the results obtained. Some of the cases were found to have lost their carrying
propensity by the time they reached the clinics. The persistent carriers all cleared
up after intensive treatment.
Arrangements for immunisation against diphtheria are now made by all the
Metropolitan Borough Councils, the work being carried out at infant welfare or special
centres, or by arrangement with medical practitioners or voluntary hospitals.
The Council has assisted in propaganda in connection with this work by authorising
the use of the school organisation for the distribution of leaflets issued by the
Borough Councils.
Diphtheria
Diphtheria
"carriers"
out-patient
clinics.
Active
immunisation
against
diphtheria.