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The type was mild, and there were no deaths.
Sixteen cases in all were notified, and 7 were treated
in the Isolation Hospital.
There were 5 cases of diphtheria notified in
February and March; but though careful investigations
were set on foot, no connection between
any of the five could be established, or seemed
likely. There was one fatal case only, at Hook,
in October, and the patient died the day the case
was notified. Altogether there were 9 cases notified.
As far as I am able to ascertain, a bacteriological
examination was only made in a small
percentage of cases; and this means that a verifying
diagnosis had not been made as much use of as
it probably will be in future. This is an important
matter, inasmuch as cases that are infectious are
apt to be overlooked, and becoming unsuspected
centres of infection, are a source of serious danger
to others ; and, on the other hand, cases are
notified and treated as diphtheria, and even removed
to the Isolation Hospital as such, when they are
nothing of the sort, thus causing needless anxiety
and expense. I should wish to remind you that
as far back as January 7th, 1895, the following
circular letter, of which I subjoin extracts, was sent
by your Clerk by order of the Council, on my
recommendation, to every medical man known to
be practising in the district:—
Surbiton Urban District Council.
Surbiton,
7th January, 1895.
Diphtheria.
Sir,—
The Medical Officer of Health of this
district has reported to the Sanitary Authority on
the recent progress in bacteriological investigation
7
Diphtheria.