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Tke average duration of stay in hospital was in 1905, eight
weeks, and of isolation of home isolated cases, five weeks and six
days. 45 (24 in 1905) certificates of satisfactory isolation at
home were given to enable Arsenal employees to continue work.
41. Return Gases.— There were 13 cases in which infection
was attributed to a patient recently returned from hospital, compared
with 19, 10, 18, and 14 in the four preceding years. The
interval between return of the infecting case and commencement
of illness in 7 cases was from three to fourteen days, and in 3
cases from 5 to 7 weeks. Of the ten infecting cases, 3 had some
form of Rhinitis when seen after return, 2 Otorrhcea, and 2 cough.
A special report was presented in 1905 on "Return Cases
and Fever Hospitals as a source of infection," and ordered to be
printed by the Public Health Committee. A copy was sent to the
Metropolitan Asylums Board and the Borough Councils. I also
prepared a summary of, and a commentary on, the voluminous
report of Dr. Cameron to the Metropolitan Asylums Board on this
subject, which was printed in the Council's Minutes of the 1st
November, 1905.
A further report has recently been made by Dr. Turner. His
conclusions, which on the whole confirm those of Dr. Cameron,
were summarized by me, and printed in the Council's Minutes,
page 243.
The Board now adopts the simple plan of sending out instructions
with returning patients warning parents as to the danger of
infection, and pointing out the desirability of partial isolation.
(Be action on this point in Woolwich, see Annual Report, 1904,
page 32.)
42. Home Isolation.— Hospital Isolation means much greater
expense, longer isolation, and often the contraction of secondary
infection (see Report just referred to.) It becomes, therefore,
important to inquire whether satisfactory results are obtained
by home isolation. Last year out of the 117 cases isolated at