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24
Medical aid is frequently not sought at the earliest
opportunity, and it is not every doctor who gives antitoxin
immediately in doubtful and suspected cases. Diphtheria
antitoxin can be obtained from two chemists and is available
at all times.
In May four cases occurred in a private day school.
The school was closed temporarily, disinfected, and redrained.
All the pupils were followed up until two negative
swabs had been taken. The Principal of the school agreed
to reduce the number of pupils per classroom to meet my
requirements.
In October an outbreak occurred in a class at Bonner
Hill Road Infants' School, and was limited to six infants
and six family contacts who contracted the disease.
The class was closely watched and swabbed, and four
positive infants were isolated. The outbreak then ceased
abruptly.
No infant was permitted to return to school until at
least two negative results were received, and they had been
declared free from infection by the School Medical Officer.
The infection in this outbreak was extremely virulent
and resulted in the deaths of one infant and one of the
family cases.
The origin of the outbreak was attributable to an infant
who returned to school after a brief illness for which no
doctor had been summoned, but which was subsequently
proved to have been an attack of Diphtheria.
Artificial immunization has not been employed.
ENTERIC FEVER (including Paratyphoid).
Only one case of Paratyphoid B. was notified. This
occurred in a man, aged 23, who was admitted to the
Kingston Victoria Hospital on August 17th, and. made an
uneventful recovery. Inquiries made in an effort to trace
the source of infection proved wholly negative.
SMALLPOX.
One case was notified from the Kingston and District
Hospital. It occurred in a woman who was admitted to the
Hospital on January 21st in labour and was confined the
same day. The rash appeared on January 24th, when she