H.—3l

48

During the greater part of the year we have been fortunate in having had the services of Dr. J. T. Howie, who efficiently supervised the routine work of the laboratory, when our time was largely taken up with University work. Specimens examined and, reported on. SPUTA. Positive. Negative. Total. Examination for the tubercle bacillus . . 132 318 450 General bacteriological examination . . . . . . . . 239 Total specimens of sputa examined . . . . . . 689 throat swabs for diphtheria. Positive. Negative. Total. 86 177 263 All suitable swabs are examined direct, and in a few cases immediate positive reports can be issued. Cultures are examined after twelve hours' and again after twenty-four hours' incubation. In one case only was the diphtheria bacillus found after twenty-four hours' incubation, where it had not been detected after twelve hours. No cases of Vincent's angina were reported during the year. WIDAL REACTION. Positive. Negative. Total. For typhoid.. .. .. .. .. ..14 63 77 For paratyphoid fever .. .. . . . . 0 3 3 Total .. .. .. .. . .. .. 80 WASSERMAN REACTION IN SYPHILIS. Positive. Negative. Total. 25. 32 57 The, original reaction (slightly modified) is the method used. The, increased number of positive reactions as compared with previous years is partly due to the fact that practitioners are availing themselves more and more of the reaction in diagnosis, and partly because the number of cases of syphilis in the primary and secondary stages is on the increase in this district, which has in the past been singularly free from the disease. EXAMINATION OF SMEARS AND EXUDATES FOR THE PALLIDA. Positive. Negative. Total. 5 4 9 URINE. Positive. Negative. 'Total. Tubercle bacillus .. . . . . .. . . 26 21 47 Typhoid bacillus .. .. .. .. ..2 1 3 Streptococci ....... . . . . . 5 .. 5 Staphylococcus (aureus or albus) .. . . . . L 8 .. 18 B. coli commnunis (group) including B. lactis terogenes .. 43 .. 43 Gonococcus .. .. .. .... 1 1 Pneumococcus .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. L Influenza bacillus .. . . . . . . . . 1 .. 1 Sporothrix .. . . . . . . . . .... 2 2 Torula .. .. . .' . . . . 2 . . 2 Enterococous .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. 1 Sterile specimens .. . . . . .... .. 28 Total specimens .. .. .. .. .. .. 152 The most noticeable feature of this group is the large increase of positive examinations for the tubercle bacillus, 26 as compared with 3in 1912. In the majority of cases the result was confirmed by animal inoculation. BACTERIOLOGICAL EXAMINATION OF PITS FROM VARIOUS SOURCES (BACTERIA ISOLATED). Pneumococcus .. . . . . 11 B. lactis oerogenes . . .. .. 1 Gonococcus -positive, 10; negative, 7 .. 17 Diphtheroids .. .. .. ..15 Staphy. aureus.. .. .. .. 45 Strep, actinomyoes—negative, 1 .. .. 1 Staphy. albus .. .. .. 14 i Sporothrix negative, 1.. .. .. ] B. coli .. .. .. 16 Sterile .. ~ .. 14 Streptococci . . . . . . 31 Mixed infection -various . . .. 2 Tubercle bacillus-positive, 1 ; negative, 2 3 B. Proteus .. . . . . . . 1. Total specimens . . .. , , 174 B. friedlander .. .. .. .. 2