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85
COMPLICATIONS.
Following are the complications encountered among the
completed cases of diphtheria
Palatal paresis 3
Ciliary paralysis 1
Strabismus 7
Toxic myocarditis 1
Adenitis 8
Otitis 2
Mastoiditis 1
Rhinitis 1
Articular rheumatism 1
Mental symptoms 1
Vaginal discharge 1
Stye 1
Roils 1
*Septic tonsillectomy wounds 1
*Septic spots 2
*Abrasions 1
*Present on admission.
AVERAGE STAY IN HOSPITAL of recovered cases of true
diphtheria was 64.6 days, a decrease of 0.5 days compared with
the figure of 65,1 days for 1937, but 4.6 days more than the
average of 60.0 days over the eight-year period 1930-1937
inclusive.
TREATMENT OF DIPHTHERIA.
The treatment of diphtheria remains, of course, in the
main, the administration of serum. The concentrated serums
now on the market, by reason of the possibility of giving many
more units of antitoxin in smaller bulk of horse serum than
could be given by means of the older sera, is a very definite
advantage. It is now possible to give massive dosage of
antitoxin without the disturbing factor of serum sickness.