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There were 13 deaths, giving a death-rate of 0.2 per thousand of the
population, and a fatality of 9.56 per cent. of those notified. No case
was doubly notified. Fifteen of the cases were secondary ones.
Return Cases.—See " Hospital Section."
Diphtheria Outbreak at Croyland Road School.
The outbreak dated from three little Christmas parties, held on
January 20th, 22nd, and 23rd, 1912, and one of the severe cases, who
shortly died, on the 27th accompanied a detachment of 198 Edmonton
children to join a large party of about 450 others in Tottenham, but she
felt so ill that she spent the whole time on a table in a side room.
In January and February diphtheria attacked a number of scholars,
so the Infants' Department was thoroughly cleansed and disinfected with
formalin vapour. During the fortnight ended February 10th, fifteen cases
of scholars were notified, affecting practically every class in the Infants'
Department. On the advice of the Medical Officer and School Medical
Officer (Dr. Rock) this department was closed on February 12th. It was
re-opened on February 26th with satisfactory results. On March 6th I
reported to the Sanitary Committee on the outbreak of diphtheria, and
submitted the following table showing how the various schools had been
affected. The table was divided into two classes (1) where the patient
was a scholar, and (2) where the patient was not a scholar, but had
brothers and sisters at school :—
Families in
Name of School Patients. contact.
Croyland Road 23 10
St. James' 2 0
Brettenham Road 1 0
Eldon Road 0 3
Raynham Road 0 2
Houndsfield 0 1
Enfield 2 0
The private schools had six patients and no contacts; there was one
patient, an only child, under school age.
Outbreaks of diphtheria such as this bring a very considerable
amount of work to the Medical Officer of Health. The school teachers
were requested to notify all scholars suspected to be suffering from sore
throat, to all of whom visits were paid, and swabs taken from many
of them. These swabs were then inoculated on blood serum and carefully
examined next day in the Council's laboratory. By this means several
scholars were detected carrying diphtheria germs, and excluded from
further attendance at school, as such persons are active agents in spreading
the infection, although they themselves do not feel ill.