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60
NOTIFICATIONS OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
The total number of notifications received last year amounted
to 1,082. This gave a notification rate of 7.6 per 1,000, the
highest rate since 1902, when the rate was 9.6 per 1,000. This
was due chiefly to an increase in the notifications of Scarlet Fever.
VOLUNTARY NOTIFICATION OF PTOMAINE
POISONING.
Owing to the occurrence from time to time of cases of
Ptomaine poisoning, knowledge of which was received for the
first time through the death certificates, it was decided to make
this disease voluntarily notifiable. In consequence of this decision
of the Council there were notified during the year 7 cases of
Ptomaine poisoning. Very little expense has been incurred as
a result of this decision, and there can be no question that,
although fortunately cases of ptomaine poisoning are comparatively
rare, it is of the utmost importance that early intimation of such
cases should be made to the Medical Officer of Health. It would
be premature to report on the value of the experiment after
so short a trial—no case of first.rate importance having as yet
been reported.
SMALL POX.
There were no cases of Small Pox reported during the year.