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65
character of the surrounding. population. So that, although
there has been an undue prevalence of the disease, there was
never any indication of its being spread by school influence.
The spread and control of the diffusion of the infection
of this disease requires detailed study, so as to arrive, if
possible, at some more efficient control than at present.
There have been several instances during the year of a
child attending school in the early stage, and even vomiting
there, without any further spread taking place; so that,
probably, it is not very infectious in an early stage. The
discovered cause of diffusion has nearly always been some
discharge from the nose or ears of a patient, otherwise
apparently recovered from the disease.
After a patient is discharged from the Isolation Hospital,
return to school is not allowed for a fortnight.
The practice of seeing children at my office every
morning has been of use in this connection, as any suspicious
sore-throat is kept away from school for a certain period;
and in many instances I believe this has had a beneficial
effect. In several of these cases it is impossible to say how
it is going to turn out; and also there is to be taken into
consideration the possibility of increase of virulence as the
infection passes from child to child.
DIPHTHERIA.
Only 52 cases have been notified in connection with the
schools for the past year. Some of these were very mild
cases, and it is doubtful if the diagnosis would have been
confirmed by a bacteriolgical examination. After a time
there is no doubt the Council will be compelled to make