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14
As compared with the figures for 1908 the cases of scarlet fever were 241
fewer than for that year. There was also a marked decrease in the number of
cases of enteric fever, and there were not so many cases of diphtheria and
cerebro-spinal fever certified. The cases of erysipelas were more numerous and
there was a marked increase in the number of cases of puerperal fever. The
deaths from notifiable infectious disease were fewer than in 1908. The deaths
from the principal zymotic diseases which are notifiable, namely, smallpox,
scarlet fever, diphtheria and enteric fever were at the rate of 0.29 per 1,000
population, whilst the rate from the principal zymotic diseases which are not
notifiable, namely, measles, whooping cough and diarrhoea was 2.44 per 1,000
population.
ISOLATION OF INFECTIOUS CASES.
Most of the cases of infectious disease removed to hospital were taken to
hospitals of the Metropolitan Asylums Board. Many of the cases of enteric
fever, puerperal fever and erysipelas were treated in the Shoreditch Infirmary
and several cases of enteric fever in General Hospitals. The infectious diseases,
cases of which are receivable into the Board's Hospitals are smallpox, scarlet
fever, diphtheria, enteric fever, and cerebro-spinal fever. The number of cases
of these diseases certified was 573 and the number removed to hospital 554,
giving a percentage of nearly 97, which is slightly below that of last year,
which was 97.3, as compared with 97.5 in 1907 and 96 per cent. in 1906. The
percentages for previous years are contained in the report for 1905. It is
satisfactory to again have to report such a high percentage of removals, for as
has been pointed out on previous occasions, efficient isolation of cases of
.lfectious disease in the homes of the people in a densely populated locality like
Shoreditch is practically impossible.
RETURN CASES.
Two instances came under observation where there were recurrences of
scarlet fever in houses subsequent to the return of scarlet fever convalescents
from hospital : —
Rose T-aged 13, was removed to hospital with scarlet fever on
March 11th, and returned home on April 22nd, having been in hospital 42 days ;
Constance T-, aged 5, was also removed on March 11th with the same
disease, returning on April 30th after 50 days in hospital; and Violet T-,
aged 9, was removed with scarlet fever on March 23rd, and returned home on
May 5th after being in hospital 43 days; Frederick T-, aged 9, was taken
ill with scarlet fever on May 9th, four days after the return of his sister Violet.
It was noticed that Violet had adenoids, otherwise nothing was observed about
h er to indicate her being infectious.