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46
During the year the weekly returns for Diphtheria
reached two figures on six occasions only, viz.—in the weeks
ended January 18th, October 4th and 25th, November 15th
and 22nd, and December 6th. In the week ended
October 4th, 17 cases were notified, that week appearing to
indicate the acme of the invasion. What has been said
respecting school influence in the case of Scarlet Fever
cannot be repeated in respect of Diphtheria. A striking
indication of the probability that children occupying the same
class-room infect one another with the Klebs Lœffler Bacillus
was afforded in one of our schools. Four children were
notified as suffering from Diphtheria, who on enquiry were
found to have attended the same class. With the aid of the
Assistant School Medical Officer, bacteriological examination
of the throat swabs of all the children in the class was made.
On the day of the examination, a further case was notified
from the same class-room. Three children then attending
the class were found to be harbouring the germs in their
throats, though manifesting no other symptoms of the disease.
These were isolated, and no other cases were notified from
that class. On following up those cases excluded there were
found in each instance to have been suspicious indications of
the disease having affected other members of the family.
No fatality attended any of the cases kept at home on
account of the inability of the Metropolitan Asylums Board
to provide accommodation for them. Of course, it ought to
be stated, that the worst cases were sent to the hospital, and
as vacancies occurred there, the most urgent cases were
first removed.