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51
Of the 915 swabs examined, 279 were taken from school
children by the Medical Officer of Health. Of these, 14
contained the true Klebs Loffer bacillus (so-called positive
cases), 15 Hoffman's bacillus, and 2, both kinds. Most of the
children were contacts seen about ten days after notification
of a primary case for the purpose of preventing pupils
returning to school in an infectious state. Others were
examined with the object of finding possible sources of infection,
e.g., where the first case notified in a house was
a child not attending school; others again were children
suspected to have diphtheria by the School Teacher, the
Attendanoe Officer or Sanitary Inspector. In 4 cases without
symptoms the bacillus disappeared within two or three weeks.
Seven positive cases has some symptoms, viz., 4 running
or sore nose, 1 mild clinical diphtheria, 1 follicular tonsilitis,
and 1 ottorhcea (discharge from ear). These were notified
and sent to hospital or strictly isolated. Positive cases
without any symptoms were excluded from school and from
mixing with Other children outside the house. Of the 15
cases with Hoffman's bacillus, 3 had slight pharyngitis.
These were excluded from school till well.
Diphtheria antitoxin is kept at the Town Hall and the
Plumstead and Eltham Free Libraries and supplied to
medical practitioners on application at cost price, or free
where there is inability to pay.
ENTERIC FEVER.
53. There were 12 cases of enteric fever, not including
6 cases of mistaken diagnosis notified as enteric. The caserate
was 0 09, compared with 0.10, 0.15, and 0.06, in
the three preceding years. For the ten years 1892-1901,