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66
provision for bacteriological examinations free of cost to the
patient, as only by this means will they be able to definitely
decide tne question as to whether it is Diphtheria or not.
In connection with Diphtheria, as I mentioned with
Scarlet Fever, the examination and exclusion from school
of children with sore throats seen at my office every morning
is doubtless of great benefit. Sore-throat is one of those
things that no teacher should ever hesitate over as to the
desirability of excluding from school.
"Always send a child home with sore-throat" should
be, with teachers, a maxim allowing of no querying. Probably
the exceptional sunny summer had also something to
do with the diminished prevalence of Diphtheria.
MEASLES.
The prevalence of Measles has not been marked during
the past year, due, I believe, to the large number of children
who have had the disease. There are a relatively small
number attending school who have not had Measles. Dr.
Kerr, Medical Officer to the London County Council Education
Authority, says that directly the number of unprotected
children in a class reaches 30 or 40 per cent. the disease tends
to spread until the proportion is reduced to 15 to 20 per cent,
unprotected. It is more especially so with regard to Measles,
and in this connection the examination and record of new
entrants to school would be beneficial. The previous history
of the child would be obtained from the parent, entered on
his schedule, and so a permanent and ready means of knowing
the percentage of children in a class who had had Measles
would be provided.