Report of an Epidemic of Bacillary Dysentery at the Danvers State Hospital, Massachusetts, 1908. From the Laboratory of the Danvers State Hospital, Hathorne, Massachusetts. (Boston: D. C. Heath & Co., 1909.)
Abstract
1evtewe.Dysentery at the Danvers State Hos-of an EpidemicMassachusetts,of BacilaryHospital,Hathorne,From Massachusetts.the Laboratory (Boston :of the Danvers State D. C. Heath & Co.,A study of an epidemic of bacillary dysentery which occurred during the summer of igo8 at the Danvers State Hospital, Massachusetts, has recently appeared. It is possible in a large and well-managed institution, such as the Danvers State Hospital, to weigh more accurately the various factors which have been thought to play a part in the etiology of bacillary dysentery than can be done through the study of a disease in a larger and less limited community. In this investigation the regular staff of the asylum was increased by a number of specially trained workers from the Harvard Medical School. The whole subject is presented in several divisions, some of which have unusual interest. The first comprises a statistical report of the epidemic. There were persons in the institution, including zoo patients, ig servants, attendants, nurses and physicians, during the summer under consideration. The epidemic began early in July, continued through August, and rapidly declinedin September. There were in all i6 cases of dysentery, with 36 deaths, acent.hospital.sexes wereaffected, although the mortality was naturally greatest among the weaker