The Dick test in scarlet fever / by C.C. Okell and H.J. Parish.

  • Okell, C. C. (Charles Cyril), 1888-1939.
Date:
1925?]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The Dick test in scarlet fever / by C.C. Okell and H.J. Parish. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    £> Table III.— Further Analysis of Positive Group in Table II. in Relation to Clinical Diagnosis of Scarlet Fever (22 Cases). Clin. diag. of scarlet fever. Number tested. Result of Dick test. Clin. diag. of scarlet fever. Number tested. Result of Dick test. Definite .. 14 + 5 Doubtful 5 + 4 + * 1 P + 1 p + 5 Very p + * 3 doubtful 3 + 3 Of the 22 read in the positive group 14 had a very definite clinical history of scarlet fever and the remainder were considered from their history and continuous observation during their convalescence to be of “ doubtful ” character. Of the 14 with a definite history of scarlet fever six only gave strongly positive reactions, one of these being a strong positive and pseudo reaction. The remaining eight gave partial positive reactions. In the case of the six strongly positive cases, the intervals after the alleged onset of the disease were 4, 5, 5, 6, 6, and 7 weeks respectively. One of the strongly positive patients with a history of a very definite attack developed a typical attack of scarlet fever the day after the test had been read. This case illustrates the possible value of the test in investigating the confused subject of relapses in scarlet fever. As it is generally admitted that the diagnosis of scarlet fever is much more difficult in very young children, an analysis of the reactions was made in reference to age-groups. The numbers of the children under four years old were too small to enable us to draw any definite conclusion from them, but there was some indication that positive reactions were relatively more common in this group. Pseudo reac¬ tions, either positive or negative, were unexpectedly uncommon in the group of convalescents. From previous work it seemed that pseudo reactions are more common during the more acute stages of the disease. Hospital Staff Results.—Thirteen members of the medical and nursing staffs of scarlet fever wards were also tested. All but one nurse had spent a consider¬ able time attending scarlet fever cases, and seven had suffered from definite attacks of scarlet fever. This nurse had been in the wards only a fortnight, and was the only one to give a positive reaction. Nine days after the test she developed a typical attack of scarlet fever. Discussion of Results. In both groups it will be seen that an individual with a history of scarlet fever does not necessarily give a negative reaction, even though several weeks