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35
day children to have the school closed, but this was resisted since
it was considered that close and repeated examinations of the
children at risk gave the best chance of checking the outbreak and
preventing its spread to other schools. The correctness of this view
was amply demonstrated by the small number of non-resident
children who became infected.
"The School and Convent authorities gave invaluable assistance
by carrying out the precautions advised by the Medical
Officer of Health. At school close contact between the children
(e.g. "pair work" in P.E.) was avoided and supervision exercised
to prevent caps, combs, scarves, etc., becoming a source of spread.
"At the Convent all toilet articles, clothing, bedding and other
fomites were thoroughly disinfected and the already excellent
standard of hygiene maintained. All premises were fumigated with
formalin vapour by the Health Department staff.
"In all, 35 cases of scalp ringworm and 13 cases of ringworm
of the skin occurred and all healed satisfactorily with normal regrowth
of the hair in the epilated cases. The highest incidence
was 25 scalp cases and 1 skin case amongst 82 Convent children.
"The original source of infection was never traced. On the
assumption that the fungus had been introduced into the Convent
by children recently admitted, or returning from a period in their
own homes, all such cases were traced back by the courtesy and
co-operation of the Medical Officers of Health of the appropriate
districts, but in none was a source discovered. The causative
organism of this type of ringworm (Microsporon audouini) rarely
affects adults or animals so that its importation was almost certainly
due to contact with an infected child, but the length of time which
must have elapsed between the introduction of the infection and
its recognition prevented the identification of its origin.
"Thanks to improved social and hygienic standards, and the
vigilance of School Nurses, ringworm of the scalp is now comparatively
rare among school-children, but the occurrence of an
outbreak involving 18 per cent of a community is a salutory warning
not to disregard this condition which, although not dangerous to
life, can so easily disrupt a school programme and, for the individual,
mean the complete loss of scalp hair for a matter of months—a
matter of special concern in the case of girls.
The last case concerned on the 14th March, i.e. the outbreak
was brought under control in three weeks."