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22
Here a rather noteworthy sequence of events occurred.
On the occurrence of two or three cases advantage was taken of the
power to close a department only of the school. This was done
because the existence of one or two carriers was suspected, and
proved; and also in order that the classroom should be cleansed.
Formerly of course no such action was possible. But the
result was that panic set in, and we were practically forced to close
the whole school, as the numbers were so depleted that work could
not well be carried on. It would be a deplorable thing if the exercise
of power to close a department, or to exclude the number of
scholars making up a class, on the occurrence of a few cases, should,
in future, thus lead to panic, and the closure of a whole school.
Generally, the health of the scholars has been good; there
was some measles early in the year, and some chicken-pox later.
There has been no change in our methods of dealing with
infectious disease during the year, and the cases which
occurred will be dealt with on a subsequent page.
At the Isolation Hospital a new and admirable ward block
has been completed under Mr. Tomes' supervision, and is satisfactory
in every way.
It is proposed to use it chiefly for cases of diphtheria, and it
contains, in addition to two wards of six beds each, two excellent
single wards, one of which has been fitted specially for cases
requiring operative treatment.
The sanitary annexes to this block are of a particularly useful
type, and the building has been well, though economically equipped
on the same lines as the best type of surgical ward, with aseptic
furniture and fittings. This is a point on which I am inclined to
lay great stress.