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13
(d) Members of Hospital Staff.
New members of the nursing and domestic staffs are tested
for susceptibility to diphtheria and scarlet fever as soon after
arrival as possible, and are immunized if it is found necessary.
They are instructed to report immediately any symptoms of illness
so that an early diagnosis of infectious disease can be made. Nurses
engaged in nursing diphtheria patients have throat and nose swabs
examined before being transferred to other wards. Because of
these precautions cases of cross infection traceable to members of
the staff are very rare.
The methods employed in preventing the occurrence of cross
infection may be summarised as follows :—
(1) Early examination and careful enquiry into the clinical
history of each patient admitted.
(2) Effective isolation of different diseases and isolation in
separate wards of cases suspected of double infection.
(3) Examination for susceptibles to diphtheria and scarlet
fever by the Schick and Dick tests.
(4) Routine examination for diphtheria carriers.
(5) Supervision of the health of the nursing staff.
On the occurrence of a case of cross infection in a ward the
following measures are adopted :—
(1) Removal of the patient affected to a separate ward.
(2) Investigation of the source of infection and removal
if found.
(3) Immunization of remaining susceptible patients in cases
of cross infection with diphtheria, scarlet fever and measles.
(4) Quarantine of ward affected.