No abstract

Dr. Robertson said, the cases might be missed to a large extent in ordinary times. He could mention an instance of that. In the district from which he came, the medical officers from a town a considerable distance away came, by request, to see cases where he (the speaker), was stationed, so that they might distinguish the cases more readily. Next day a man, aged 45, died in their own hospital who had been ill a week, diagnosed as influenza and delirium tremens, and one of his (the speaker's) staff went over and did a post-mortem examination. He found meningococcal meningitis, and discovered another case among the patients in the hospital. There had been cases in hospital under special observation for a week before lumbar puncture appeared justifiable; and he felt sure that in ordinary times a large proportion of cases would be missed.