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In addition I had all the pencils removed from both
classes, and sent to the bacteriologist for cultivations to be
made, to ascertain if Diphtheria Bacilli were to be found.
Mr. Johnston reported that the organisms present on the
pencils in class 1 were Staphylococcii aureus and albus
sarcinae yeasts and B. subtilis., and in class 2 Staphylococcii
aureus and albus diplococci and Gram-negative bacilli.
The Staphylococci in question are the common organisms
of suppuration. It was found that practically all the pencils
showed teeth marks and evidences of having been sucked.
The pencils are common property, and are collected after
each lesson and redistributed at the beginning of the next.
One cannot help feeling that such communal utensils are
often the source of spread of sore throats and other diseases,
as it is quite impossible to stop the average small child from
sucking his pencil. Inquiries and examination of the pens
and pencils at the other Infants' Schools showed that by far
the majority of the utensils had been bitten or sucked by the
children.
As a result of this I advised the Education Committee to
provide some form of receptacle, so that each child should in
future keep its own pencil for its own use.
Owing to the prevalence of Diphtheria, our accommodation
at the Hospital was found inadequate, and a new block
is being erected which will provide 18 beds in place of the
present 12, and the present 12-bed block will be available for
Enteric Fever and other complaints, which will thereby set
free the cubicles for their legitimate use.
The number of cases of Diphtheria during the year was
higher than for some considerable time. This must be put
down largely to increased vigilance in bacteriological examination.
For instance, as a result of investigations amongst
the schools, I personally found 9 cases, some of which were
actually attending school.