From May 24, 1980

An investigation at Kingston Hospital uncovered what was thought to be behind the outbreak of a rare disease there.

Three cases of Legionnaire's diseases had been diagnosed at the hospital since March 1980.

One of the patients was back at work after recovering and two others were still in hospital but on the mend.

The Comet reported that the disease was first diagnosed in America in 1976 and the organism responsible was a germ that could survive for long periods in water tanks which was what happened in Kingston Hospital. After an intensive environmental investigation, the possible cause of the outbreak was traced to a dirty cooling tower on top of the surgical block, which formed part of the air conditioning system through which there was running water.

The area was thoroughly cleaned and treated.

Area medical officer at Kingston and Richmond health authority, Dr Alistair Nelson told the Comet that other office workers were probably in the clear.

So far, the disease, which could only be passed by water and dust in the atmosphere, had only broken out in hotels and hospitals.

Doctors in the area were warned about it and told to look out for it when diagnosing patients, although they were told that symptoms could range from nothing at all to severe pneumonia, which could be fatal.

Between August 1977 and 1979 there were 200 reported cases of the disease in England and Wales, which was first classified in the mid-1970s after 211 people became ill at a convention in Philadelphia, causing 34 deaths.

ygordon@london.newsquest.co.uk