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79
with a view of ascertaining whether the bacillus of diphtheria was
absent from the th-roat. In some cases this organism was very
persistent, requiring many examinations before it was found to have
disappeared.
Every case of scarlet fever admitted to the Hospital was also
examined bacteriologically, in order to ascertain if diphtheria was
also present. In 62 instances diphtheria bacilli were found to be
present. These patients were isolated with a view to checking the
spread of diphtheria among scarlet fever convalescents. In this way
we were entirely successful, as there was no case of post-scarlatinal
diphtheria during the year, though this complication was a very
common and severe one in pre-bacteriological days.
In ng instances pseudo-diphtheria bacilli were found in the
throats of scarlet fever patients. These bacilli are probably of little
significance, but are a source of great trouble, as they are frequently
difficult to differentiate from the true diphtheria bacilli and
necessitate repeated examinations to avoid the risk of missing the
true baccillus.
A large number of the specimens examined are from cases of
sore throat occurring in children attending elementary schools. In
many instances these " sore throats " turned out to be mild cases of
diphtheria in which infection persisted for many weeks or months
though the children showed very little, if any, signs of ill-health.