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Positive cases with any symptoms were notified and sent to
hospital, or strictly isolated; positive cases without symptoms
were excluded from school and from mixing with other children
outside the house.
12 cases without symptoms were re-examined at intervals
of 10 days. In 1 positive reports recurred six times, in 1 three
times, and in 2 twice. Usually one negative or Hoffman result
was accepted as evidence of the disappearance of the Klebs
Loffler bacillus.
57. It appears that the majority of the deaths from Diphtheria
would be obviated if medical attendance were obtained
earlier in the illness. Information was received as to the date
of summoning the doctor in 64 cases. A little more than onethird
obtained medical attendance on the first day, and nearly
one-third were not seen by the doctor till two days had elapsed.
No doubt the chief cause of this delay is the poverty of the
parents which makes them avoid calling in a doctor before
they are obliged. The only practical remedy seems to be to
put free medical attendance within the easy reach of all, at any
rate so far as is necessary for diagnosis.
Enteric Fever.
58. There were 13 cases of Enteric Fever, not including 6
cases of mistaken diagnosis notified as Enteric. The case-rate
was 0.10, compared with 0.17, 0.23, and 0.16, in the three
preceding years; this is again the lowest rate recorded in the
Borough. For the ten years 1892-1901, the rate never fell
below 0.41. The case-rate in London was 0.27. Out of 19
cases notified, 14 went to hospital.
59. There were two deaths, giving a death-rate of 0.02,
which is the lowest death-rate recorded. The death-rate in
London was 0.05.