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36
Diphtheria.
Diphtheria was much more prevalent in 1936 than in any year
since 1930, the number of notifications received being 99 as compared
with 39 in 1935 and 31 in 1934. In every case the patient
was removed to an Isolation Hospital. The disease was unfortunately
of a very severe type and was responsible for twelve deaths.
Of these twelve deaths three occurred in children of from 2 to 5
years, eight in children of from 5 to 15 years, and one in an adult.
62 cases were notified in children attending schools in Wood Green,
one in a child attending an outside school; 24 were children under
school age, and 12 were over school age. Of the 63 school children,
44 attended the Alexandra Schools, the outbreak of diphtheria there
being responsible for 56 cases altogether, the extra twelve being
represented by three teachers and nine children under school age.
I have given a detailed account of this outbreak on pages 13 to
16 of my Annual Report as School Medical Officer, which is printed
along with this report, so that it is not necessary for me to go
over the same ground again here. It is sufficient to say that the
outbreak was the worst we have had in Wood Green for many years,,
and the disease of a virulent type, eight deaths occurring in the
56 cases affected. The first case was reported in January and the
last in December.
The 43 cases not connected with this school outbreak were
spread very evenly over the year. Many were of the mild type
to which we have mostly been accustomed during recent years, but
others were of the virulent or ''gravis" type, and four deaths in
all occurred. In three cases death occurred within 48 hours of
admission to hospital and in the fourth an adult death occurred
on the seventh day.
Immunisation against Diphtheria has been carried on as in
previous years, mostly among children in the infant and junior
departments of the elementary schools, but also among children
under school age. During the year, 1,005 children received
full courses of protective injections, and a further 55 were undergoing
a course at the end of the year. 429 children were Schick
tested during the year and 845 were awaiting Schick Test at