Published online by Cambridge University Press: 15 May 2009
From consideration of the above evidence the following conclusions may be drawn:
(1) The prevalence of diphtheria-like bacilli in the fauces of scarlet fever patients on admission to hospital does not definitely follow that of diphtheria outside either in seasonal or yearly prevalence.
(2) The majority of such patients show no clinical evidence of the added infection. It is believed that they are instances of scarlet fever developing in diphtheria carriers, and the presence of the organism does not affect the prognosis. However, cases which present such clinical evidence as a mem branous angina are to be considered as instances’ of true double infection and in them the prognosis is bad.
(3) Bacteriological examination of a series of cases belonging to the former group reveals the presence of true virulent diphtheria bacilli in about 36 per cent., and these organisms may persist in a virulent state for a considerable period.
(4) Routine bacteriological examination to find these cases and their sub sequent isolation materially reduces the incidence of post-scarlatinal diphtheria.