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89
The Lancet, July 21st, 1894, stated that, "the statistics
of the General Register Office contain no separate mention
of diphtheria until the year 1855, the deaths due to this
cause having previously to that date been included under
the head of scarlet fever. Up to comparatively i*ecent
years it was considered a disease chiefly affecting rural
districts.
In London, during the past year, the deaths were 2,367,
and the death-rate has gone up from 144 per million in 1880,
to 760 in 1893.
With the view of affording facilities for the early and accurate
diagnosis of diphtheria, the General Purposes Committee
of the Metropolitan Asylums Board adopted the recommendation
of their sub-committee as to the establishment
of a bacteriological laboratory as a necessary adjunct to the
work carried out at the Hospitals, and that immediate steps
be taken for giving a fair trial for the adoption of the antitoxin
treatment in suitable cases at an early stage of the
disease.
The General Purposes Committee on the 5th November,
1894, report; —
We have ascertained by personal conference with the Medical-Superintendents
of the Board's Fever Hospitals that they are desirous of obtaining
an adequate supply of anti toxin serum, and that, with the exception of one
Medical Superintendent, who had had no diphtheria patient under treatment,
they had already individually endeavoured, but in most cases failed, to obtain
sufficient for their requirements.
We have also directed inquiries to be made of the Royal Colleges of
Physicians and Surgeons, and the British Institute of Preventive Medicine,
with a view of ascertaining whether they would be prepared to supply, and,
if so, when, and on what terms, diphtheria anti-toxin for use in the Hospitals
of the Board.
In a letter dated the 16th instant, the Secretary to the Eoyal College of
Physicians and Surgeons states that the Laboratories Committee of those
Colleges will be prepared to supply anti-toxin to the Medical Superintendents