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81
Frequently some cubicles have served the requirements of a
discharge block and have permitted the thorough and complete
disinfection of patients prior to their return home.
The number of patients received for treatment during the
year was 794. In addition, 183 were in hospital at the end of the
year 1932, giving a total of 977 patients resident during the year.
Apart from the treatment involved, often urgent and insistent
—the need for careful diagnosis upon admission—the numerous
complications, many not sufficiently serious to endanger the life
of the patient, but of the utmost importance as regards his future
health—and finally the absolute necessity for a careful and complete
overhaul prior to discharge—all these factors can be said
to entail no little responsibility or devotion to duty.
In addition, the anxiety of parents for their little ones, whether
seriously ill or otherwise, cannot be allayed by a cursory interview.
It will be seen that the scope and exigencies of the work are
very considerable.
Many cases of children admitted to hospital were found to
exhibit upon bacteriological examination diphtheria or pseudo
diphtheria bacilli in nasal secretions.
It is difficult to estimate the significance of such bacteria—
some may be extremely virulent, others much less so or avirulent
—but the necessity for constant vigilance must be apparent.
Children acting as carriers although showing no obvious symptoms
of the disease, may infect others, with fatal results.
With the object of eliminating such dangers, swabs from the
nose and throat of each patient presented for discharge have been
taken, as a routine measure, in the majority of cases. This has
necessitated the culture and bacteriological examination of 1,267
swabs.
Diphtheria.
During the year 176 patients were admitted as compared with
156 for the previous year. Of this number, 133 were faucial, 12
laryngeal, 21 nasal, 10 faucial and nasal.
Thirty-five patients remained under treatment at the end of
the year 1932.