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DIPHTHERIA.
During 1910, 6029 specimens were examined in the Laboratory.
Of these specimens about one-sixth (1,052) were primary examinations
for diagnostic purposes. The remaining specimens were from
"contacts" who had been exposed to diphtheria or from the throats
of convalescents. The latter were examined with a view of
ascertaining whether the bacillus of diphtheria was absent from the
throat or nose. In some cases this organism was very persistent,
requiring many examinations extending over many weeks 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
present. Of these, 2.4 per cent. were found, on admission, to have
bacilli indistinguishable from diphtheria in the nose, while 1.1 per
cent. had similar bacilli in the throat. All these patients were
specially isolated in order to guard against the introduction of
diphtheria into the scarlet fever wards.
A large number of the specimens examined were from cases of
sore throat or nasal discharge occurring in children attending
elementary schools. In some 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.