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which came recently under my own observation:—A lad who worked in
a dairy was taken ill with a sore throat, which was thought to be Diphtheria.
A bacteriological examination of secretion taken from the throat
was made by the Jenner Institute, and the report confirmed the diagnosis.
Further samples of throat secretion were taken and examined bacteriologically
at intervals of a few weeks, but not until three months had
elapsed was the throat declared to be free from infection.
Of the 18 cases at Southgate, 16 occurred during the first five
months of the year, 8 in January, 4 in February 3 in March, 2 in April,
and 1 in May. These cases were a continuance, and marked the end of
the epidemic, which began in March of the previous year (1899). Excepting
two cases, one in October, and one in November, no other cases
occurred in Southgate throughout the remainder of the year. Of the
14 cases which were notified from other parts of the District, 5 occurred
at Winchmore Hill iu March. The remaining 9 cases were almost
equally divided between New Southgate, and Palmers Green and Bowes,
during the first and last quarters of the year.
There were 5 fatal cases, all of which occurred in Southgate, 4 in
January and 1 in December. The lives of several of these would most
probably have been saved if a doctor had been called in earlier than was
the case. Antitoxin could then have been used when its beneficial action
is greatest, namely, during the first day or two of the disease; whereas
in several of these cases, no medical aid was sought until it was too late
for antitoxin to be of any use: little or nothing could therefore be done
for them.
That the extreme value of antitoxin as a curative agent in
Diphtheria is fully recognised by the Medical Practitioners of the
District, in common with the Profession in general, is shown by the
fact that while 32 cases of Diphtheria were notified during the year, 30
boxes of antitoxin were used, each box containing enough for one case,
unless very severe when two or more injections are necessary.
With regard to the occurence of secondary cases of which there were
seven, I am sure that in the majority of cases these might be entirely
prevented if on the occurrence of a case in any house, all others in the
same house received a prophylactic dose of antitoxin. In those houses
in which I know this has been done, no secondary cases have occurred.
Typhoid Fever. -Only one case was notified throughout the year,
as against 12 in the preceding year, and 10 in 1898. This case was an
imported one, the person alfected contracting the disease at Margate,
where he had been staying to within a few days of the date of notification.
This is a very satisfactory state of things to record, and is good
evidence as to the efficiency of the general sanitation of the District.
Diarrhœa.—Compared with previous years there was very little
illness from this disease throughout the District, and there were only