View report page

20
ducted institutions are so busy attending to the clamant needs of their
patients that they have no time for research. Material is available!
always in respect of those diseases for which isolation hospitals are
provided, and who shall say that it has been taken advantage of to
wrest from it its secrets ? To every isolation hospital should be attached
a research officer of experience and reoute whose whole time will be
occupied in the discovery of the causes of the diseases under treatment
in the hospital to which h'e is attached, and the appropriate)
remedies. It is unthinkable that such intensive study would fail to
produce results worthy of the effort and expenditure.
Lack of sufficient accommodation for hospital treatment of infectious
diseases was responsible for the occurrence in several instances
of multiple infections. This is very regrettable, for the houses are auite
unfit for nursing cases of infectious ailments, and the class of persons
who usually suffer most are the least able financially, either to provide
prolonged medical attendance, or to be restrained from carrying on
their usual employment.
Return cases of Scarlet Fever and Diphtheria were not frequent,
and no doubt reasonable care was exercised in the discharge of hospital
patients by the Metropolitan Asylums Board's officers. Occasional
instances, however, tended to show that patients discharged after Scarlet
Fever, were suffering from Diphtheria in a highly infective condition
with manifest discharges from which the Bacillus of Diphtheria was
grown in pure culture. One such case was notified about two weeks
after discharge from Hospital.
A rather unusual case of a child discharged after convalescence
from Scarlet Fever was returned within a week suffering from a
second attack.
Two cases notified as Diphtheria, and removed to Hospital,
developed Scarlet Fever during their stay in the Institution; one
case removed with Scarlet Fever developed Diphtheria; and one case
removed with Typhoid Fever developed Diphtheria.
All children of school age, contacts with Diphtheria, are excluded
from School for at least a fortnight after disinfection of the premises.
All are "swabbed," and none are admitted to school until the swabs
show negative results. Positive contacts are advised to seek medical aid.