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77
been issued to the Head Teacher of the Infants' Department of
the Lewisham Bridge School to exclude all children from classrooms
A, E and F who were suffering from sore throats, and to
forward their names and addresses to me. Such children were
not to be permitted to resume attendance at school until a
certificate, based upon bacteriological examination, had been
furnished, stating they were free from infection. This was
subsequent to our closing classrooms E and F.
One always hesitates before closing schools or parts of
schools 011 account of infectious diseases, being fully aware of
the seriousness of such action from an educational point of view.
In regard to diphtheria, an attempt is sometimes made by the
Education Authority to exclude what are termed carrier cases.
t/
These are cases having the disease in such a mild form as to
permit attendance at school without detection. A bacteriological
examination is made in regard to a selected few, and the children
who are reported to be suffering from pseudo-diphtheria or
diphtheria are excluded. There is much to be said for this plan,
provided that a swab is taken from evert) child in the classroom.
The mere selection of a few is not sufficient, nor can absolute
reliance be placed upon bacteriological examination of one swab
only. We have many instances in which various reports are
obtained in regard to two or three successive swabs from the
same child, and it would be necessary for the swabbing to be
carried out at repeated intervals.
The system of excluding carrier cases has been tried, and
but for our insistence 011 closing the classrooms of certain
schools, serious results might have occurred.
It is unfortunate, in many respects, that there is a dual
control 111 London over school attendance and infectious disease.
The Borough Councils are the responsible custodians of the
Public Health of the inhabitants of their districts, and in my