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names of children who had suffered from a rhinorrhœa which
appeared to have ceased.
It must be confessed that, so far, there has been failure to
deal with this difficult problem, and perhaps there will be
until the germ of the disease is discovered. It will be seen
presently that few return cases of diphtheria have recently
occurred—cases of this disease being isolated until the germ
is found to have disappeared.
42. Home Isolation.—Sixteen certificates of efficient home
isolation were given to enable men to continue their employment.
81 cases were isolated at home. Only one of these was
followed by a secondary case which could be attributed to
failure of isolation, and there was no 'home return case."
In 1907 home isolation was followed by two return eases
and two second cases, due to failure of isolation, or two per
cent. of failure. Taking the hospital return cases on one side,
and the failure of home isolation and home return cases on the
other side, it may be said that there were, in the two years, 4
per cent. of failures in the hospital isolation, and 2 per cent. in
the home isolation.
43. Other sources of Infection.—A probable source of infecwas
found in 144 cases. In 79 cases infection was attributed
to other members of the family. Some of these were never
notified and had no distinct symptoms of scarlet fever, but a
history of sore throats made it probable that they had had a
slight attack of this disease.
44. In 22 cases infection was attributed to friends and
neighbours, and in 32 cases to school attendance; in 3 to fellow