View report page

20
the persons affected being non-residents. 10 deaths took place from
this disease, i.e. a case mortality rate of 9 5 per cent.
DIPHTHERIA-NORTH HYDE SCHOOLS.
The North Hyde School is a large Roman Catholic Institution
dealing mainly with Poor Law boys. Most of its cases are admitted
from the Boards of Guardians up and down the Country. Roughly
one-fifth are re scue cases paid for by voluntary subscriptions. A
few that do not come into this category are admitted as private
cases and paid for by their p irents. The buildings were originally
Military Barracks, but on the whole give plenty of air space for the
boys. Many of the boys come from very poor homos and are in a
miserable condition on admission. They are well fed and clothed
and the administration is very good, the Mother Superior being a
person of very high intelligence and devoted to the welfare of the
boys. There is a Medical Officer attached to the School who visits
daily. There is also a Dentist. The average number of boys is
500.
There are, however, a considerable number of boys whose
tonsils and naso-pharynx want attention.
The School is handicapped in carrying out any large scheme of
Medical Inspection and Treatment, owing to the fact that the payments
made per boy only amount to 13/-.
Cases had been occurring during 1923 in twos and threes—ex.
tensive swabbing and repeated visits and examinations failed to
reveal any definite source of trouble.
The early part of 1924 was free from trouble, the first case
being notified on 13/5/24 of a boy age 4. There were 47 contacts in
the Nursery but no further case arose till 2/7/24, this was a boyaged
8 who had been admitted from Soho on 8/6/24. In this case there
were 38 contacts in the Dormitory.
On 21/7/24 a further case arose in the same dormitory. This
child had only three days previously been admitted to the Institution
from Staines.