View report page

58
Later in the day visits were paid to seven absentees, also
reported to be suffering from diarrhoea All except one were under
the care of the family doctor and all appeared to have dysentery
In some cases the illness had already spread to other children (later
enquiries emphasized the highly infectious nature of the disease;
eg, mam^ parents contracted the illness, and even members of
other families sharing the same house)
A circular letter was sent the same day to the parents of each
child attending the Nursery School The letter advised the calling
of medical aid in the event of diarrhoea and sickness, and the
strictest precautions in order to avoid the spread of the illness
Concurrently, a circular letter was sent to each medical practitioner
in the town notifying the occurrence of the outbreak, and suggesting
that it was due to bacillary dysentery The letter stated that
patients could be admitted to the Sanatorium on request being
made in the usual way
On Saturday morning the 5 swabs from the " W" family and
7 of the 14 taken at the Nursery School were reported to have
yielded B Dysenteric Sonne
A further circular, letter was sent to all medical practitioners
informing them that the outbreak was definitely dysenteric, drawing
attention to the secondary cases, to the comparative mildness of
the illness in most cases, and requesting co-operation in advising
patients and contacts as to its extreme infectivity, and in particular
requesting the name and address of any person trading in connection
with food supplies
The Director of Education was asked to instruct the caretakers
of all schools in the St James Street area to disinfect all lavatory
seats daily until further notice
A total of 49 cases (all ages) were notified in connection with
the outbreak, but the total number of persons affected in more or
less degree is estimated at approximately 90
The very mildness of the illness in most cases has rendered it
insidious and difficult to deal with
The Nursery School was re-opened on July 12th with certain
additional safeguards put into operation to limit the danger of
further cases In view of the possibility of " carriers," further
cases were expected, especially when it is remembered how difficult
children between the ages of 2 and 5 years are to deal with when
there is any tendency to diarrhoea In addition, there is at any
Nursery School every conceivable factor favourable to the spread of
such an outbreak Fortunately, no further cases were reported
Two cases were reported amongst children attending a neighbouring
school, but no direct connection could be traced 15 of the