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22
The following is a brief history of the outbreak:—
During the month of March, Measles occurred in the
Children's Ward. At first it was possible to segregate the
cases in various side wards in other parts of the Hospital
buildings. As the infection spread rapidly, affecting a large
number of children, adequate isolation became impossible
with the existing accommodation.
On March 20th, a case of Diphtheria was discovered in
the Children's Ward making the situation still more complicated.
Thereafter no fewer than twenty cases of Diphtheria
were discovered between that date and May 2nd. These cases
included three of the nurses in attendance.
At the onset prophylactic doses of serum were given to
all contacts among the patients and staff.
The cases were removed to various Isolation Hospitals
as they occurred.
Six of the cases were cross infected with Measles, and
these had to be retained in the Kingston & District Hospital.
To add to the difficulty was the fact that cases of
Measles were being sent in by the outside practitioners.
The situation eventually became so serious that all
sections of the Ward had to be closed against further admissions.
The greater number of cases consisted of Nasal Diphtheria,
and were fortunately of a mild type.
Virulence Tests were carried out on the last eight cases,
of that number only one gave a positive result.
Two cases were attended with fatal results, death in one
instance being due to Broncho-Pneumonia following Whooping
Cough, which evinced itself after admission to the Isolation
Hospital.
Of the twenty cases only four had their home addresses
in the Borough.
A few cases of Diphtheria occurred at Richmond Road
Schools in the Autumn, and the children were kept under
daily supervision, with the result that two unsuspected bacteriological
cases were discovered and isolated.
The issue of Diphtheria Antitoxin is made through two
Chemists and is available at all times.
The Schick Test has not been employed.