Page:Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, volume 9 (7).djvu/17

 where he was given several doses of the new mihtary anti-meningococcal serum, prepared at the Lister Institute from the types of meningococci, prevalent in last year's epidemic. The patient reacted well to the serum, and he recovered rapidly and completely. Also his naso-pharynx cleared up speedily, and he was declared negative on April (Jth, 1910, and was discharged from Fulham Military Hospital to a Convalescent Hospital.

At Burvale House, Hersham, where the patient was stationed, eighteen contacts were examined, mainly those who occupied the same hedroom. The R.A.M.C. orderly, who attended this man from the time he was taken ill until he was transferred to Richmond, was included. Of these eighteen, twelve were declared negative on first examination of the plates, and six suspicious cocci were subcultured for agglutination. As the attached Table I. shews, they were positive and of the same type meningococcus as the case.

At Richmond Military Hospital, of twelve contacts examined, three shewed suspicious gram-negative cocci, which were subsequently raised for agglutination. One proved to be positive and of the .same type as that of the case.

Of the three positive contacts at Burvale House, one slept in the next bed, one exactly opposite, and the third — the R.A.M.C. orderly who attended him — in the same room.

The positive contact at Richmond Military Hospital was in the same ward and in attendance on the patient. The four positive contacts were transferred to carrier wards. The R.A.M.C. orderly cleared up almost immediately ; one Burvale House carrier v/as discharged after two negative swabs on April 18th ; the other Burvale House carrier is still in quarantine (end of April) ; and the Richmond contact was discharged on April 21st after two negative swabs.

Case 3. — 2nd A.M. X., Y Regt., stationed at Roehampton, came from Larkhill Camp, Salisbury, on Saturday, 11th March, and, at 7 p.tu. on the same day, was suddenly taken ill with excruciating pains in head and back, and vomited on Sunday morning, when he was admitted to Richmond Military Hospital. His teniperature on admission was 102" F.* He quickly became delirious and very violent, coma supervening. He died at 2 p.m., soon after lumbar puncture. The fluid drawn off was

• At Larkhill Camp there was a batch of men who had receutly arrived from The Curragh, wheie cerebro-spinal fever was prevalent.