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The first case notified was on June 14th. On June 16th
the circumstances of the cases pointing to a milk outbreak,
letters were written to the Medical Officers of Hants and
Wilts concerning the sources of supply. Later two earlier
cases came to my knowledge. The one first on the list if
notified earlier would have led me to communicate with
Wiltshire two days before I did. Possibly this might have
Stopped a portion of the infected milk. The earliest onset of
notified Scarlet Fever was in Seller A on June 11th, but
several cases of suspicious Sore Throat were observed
amongst customers of other milk sellers before definite
symptoms led to notification. Only 72 cases were of ages
for compulsory school attendance, and many of these were
attending private schools.
When the presence of a big epidemic seemed to be
clearly in front of us on June 18th, the Elementary Schools
were closed for 14 days. Sunday Schools were advised to be
closed and school treats recommended to be stopped during
that period.
At the end of the fortnight, the epidemic having abated,
the schools re-opened. Nine cases were subsequently
notified—apparently arising from the school meetings. The
children in the schools affected were inspected, but no one
was found with symptoms of recent illness. Of those thus
notified, four were exceedingly mild.