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understands that this opinion; has undergone considerable modification during recent
years, it being held by many of the more prominent physicians, medical officers of health,
superintendents of fever hospitals and other medical authorities that desquamation,
especially that in the latter stages, cannot be taken as evidence of infectivity."
"The Board have long been aware that so-called return cases have from time to
time occurred, and with the object of obtaining the fullest information as to their cause
and with the view of adopting (if practicable) further precautions they, three years
since, appointed a medical officer to conduct investigations into1 the circumstances of
all such alleged cases, and the report of this officer will shortly be in print. As the
result of this and other steps which the Board are taking they trust that they may be
enabled to throw much light upon this at present obscure subject.''
"Notwithstanding this absence of scientific knowledge the Board are confident that
the most careful judgment is exercised in every case by the medical officers whom they
have placed in charge of their hospitals. The Board are of course alive to the responsible
duties which rest upon them, and they can assure the Council that they are
taking every means rightly to discharge these, both as regards the patients and the
public.''
During the year under consideration seven cases of the nature referred to in the
Board's letter came under observation in Shoreditch. The particulars relating to them
are briefly as follows:—
(1.) Sarah W-was removed from No. 22, D- Road, Kingsland, about
the end of August 1903. She was discharged from hospital to 34, N-
Street on January 11th, 1904. That night she slept in same bed as
Leonard W-who was certified to have scarlet fever on January 14th.
Sarah on her return was noticed to have a discharge from her right ear.
(2.) Ernest P-, aged 5, was removed from 27, H- Place on April
16th, and returned home on July 9th. He was stated to have had a discharge
from his nose whilst in hospital. The mother noticed that the
discharge came on again the day after his return home. Lily P—,
aged 1 year and 8 months sickened with scarlet fever on July 15th.
(3.) Albert G-, aged .10 months, was removed with scarlet fever of Sept 10th
and returned home on November 2nd to 26, G- W- Place. He
had on his return a discharge from his ears which was present before his
removal to hospital. Alice M-, aged 5, residing in the same dwelling,
sickened with scarlet fever on November 14th. She was attending
school up to November 13th.
(4.) Reginald J-, aged 7, was removed from No. 18, C- Road, on
September 15th and returned home on November 17th. He slept in
same bed as Fred M-, aged 9, who was certified to have scarlet fever