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39
Diphtheria might in this way be passed on from one user to another,
it was decided to investigate the question bacteriologically. With the
sanction of the National Telephone Company, a number of their Call Offices
were selected, the mouthpieces removed, placed in sterilized bottles and
submitted to Dr. Klein for bacteriological examination. These were
"washed out with 2-3 cubic centimetres of sterile distilled water by means of
"sterile brushes, and the whole of the washing was injected in about equal
"parts into two guinea-pigs: one peritoneally, one subcutaneously. The
"washings were very dirty, containing a lot of mineral matter (dust) and
"some soot. The object being to discover whether there were present any
"tubercle bacilli in the mouthpieces, the animals were allowed to live for four
"weeks, by which time any tubercle present could be readily discovered. The
"animals of all these injections (24 in all) appeared during these four weeks
"in normal condition, and showed no pathological symptom, either locally
"or otherwise," and subsequent post-mortem examination showed that the
animals were all free from Tubercle and Diphtheria. In all, twelve mouthpieces
were so treated, these being selected by your Medical Officer from Callboxes
in different parts of the City. The result of these experiments was
exceedingly satisfactory, and showed that in none of these mouthpieces were
any tubercle bacilli present, and, with the exception of one guinea-pig in one
experiment, no other microbe pathogenic to the guinea-pig. The exception
was an accidental one, and it is obvious that if a sufficiently large number of
samples were taken some other germ would almost certainly be found. This
has, however, no practical bearing on the case.
The conclusion, therefore, is that there is no real risk in the use of the
telephone at Public Call Offices, and that the alarm that has been raised has no
foundation in fact. It is satisfactory to be assured that the use of so valuable
a means of communication is without any attendant danger, and that the only
precaution advisable is the obvious common-sense one of keeping the mouthpieces
clean.
PUBLIC TELEPHONE CALL-BOXES.
The attention of the National Telephone Company was also directed to the
lack of ventilation of their "call-boxes" in general use, and to the unsuitable
character of the material with which they were lined.
The Company at once took steps to effect improvements in this direction,
and through their courtesy your Medical Officer was afforded an opportunity
of viewing and advising upon a specimen of the improved cabinets they
propose to erect in future. In the new pattern ample ventilation is provided
by means of an opening two feet by six inches in the roof, and by an ingenious
mechanical arrangement this is always open except when the instrument
within is in actual use, the opening and closing of the tightly-fitting door
ensuring free circulation of air throughout. A hard smooth impervious
material painted in enamel has been used for lining the interior. As this can
be readily cleansed, it is a great improvement upon the former method.