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Chase Ward return, as the family had only moved from Chase Side
to Ponders End the same day as the case was notified.
SCHOOLS.
The histories of many Diphtheria epidemics show that prior to
and during an outbreak many children suffer from ill-defined sore
throats, and very readily contract the disease if exposed to infection,
and this epidemic has proved no exception to the rule.
Fortunately the School Authorities had appointed a School
Medical Officer last Summer, and I am very pleased to be able to take
advantage of this opportunity to testify to the very efficient service
Dr. P. E. Gaffikin rendered during the outbreak. She constantly
visited the various schools affected, examined the children, took
ewabs from doubtful or suspicious cases, and was the means of
detecting several "carrier cases" which under ordinary circumstances
would most probably have escaped observation, and rendered the
attack very much more severe.
From the first both the increase and continuance in the number
of cases notified gave me a good deal of anxiety, and every endeavour
was made to cope with the outbreak.
The cases as notified were closely enquired into, their isolation
insisted upon, and as many as possible removed to the Isolation
Hospital.
Following the enquiries made in each case I soon realised that
the question both of school attendance and milk supplies must be
closely looked into.
One of the first schools to claim my attention was Gordon Lane
School (infants'). Six of the scholars having been notified between
September 8th and 27th, the school was, on my recommendation,
closed from September 28th to October 26th. On the 29th of Sepember,
the day after the closing, three more scholars were notified
s suffering from Diphtheria, but no more cases occurred among the
hildren belonging to the school until three weeks after the re-opening,
when one was reported on November 16th, one on November 29th,
and one on December 11th, making a total of 12 cases amongst a
total average attendance of 120.
Advantage was taken of the opportunity afforded by the closing
o have the school thoroughly disinfected and cleaned throughout.