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Borough, and different samples of milk from different districts
were found to vary considerably in purity, varying
from 50,000 to 5,000,000 bacteria per 100 c.c of milk—1 c.c.
being equal to about 17 drops.
The samples of ice creams were examined for the purpose
of discovering the presence of the bacillus coli, which is
found as one of the normal inhabitants of the intestinal
tract, and whose presence points to faecal contamination of
some of the ingredients used in the making of the ice
creams. Of the six samples of ice cream examined, three
were found to contain the bacillus coli.
Antitoxin.
The late Vestry decided on August 3rd, 1899 (vide
Minutes, 1899, page 1283), to distribute gratuitously to
medical men practising within the District, antitoxin, both
for the treatment of Diphtheria and as a preventative or
prophyllactic for use in the case of Diphtheria contacts. Up
to date, a total of 527 vials have been distributed, each vial
containing 2,000 units of antitoxin.
The value of antitoxin in the treatment of Diphtheria
(early in the disease) is now an acknowledged fact, as also
its use as a preventative, or prophyllactic, in the cases of
persons who come into contact with the disease, e.g.,
nurses, children living in an infected house, etc. In this
connection, the marked decrease in the Diphtheria deathrate
in Lambeth during the past six years is worthy of note
—such decrease being concurrent with the distribution of
antitoxin throughout the district, and the systematic examining,
bacteriologically, of doubtful nose and throat membranes
and discharges.
Joseph Priestley.
March 19th. 1906.