Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Wimbledon]
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cases were from Wimbledon, and one hundred and eighty-three
from Kingston. There were thus eighty-three more cases treated
in the Hospital in 1938 as compared with the previous year.
Scarlet Fever.— One hundred and six patients were
admitted to hospital suffering from scarlet fever during the
year, together with one patient who was found to be suffering
from scarlet fever and chicken pox.
One of the frequent complications noted was rheumatism.
In the majority of cases the rheumatism was slight, and no
cardiac complications occurred.
Paracentesis was performed when necessary. In all
patients with ear complications the discharge had ceased before
they left hospital, and in no case had any apparent deafness
resulted.
One patient developed acute nephritis which necessitated
a prolonged stay in hospital before complete recovery had
taken place.
As in previous years, anti-scarlatinal serum was used fairly
extensively. Nearly all patients, except those who had the
disease in a mild form, received an injection of serum on admission.
In most of the cases sulphonamide preparations were also
given, either in conjunction with anti-scarlatinal serum or
alone. The results were very gratifying. In a few cases sulphhsemoglobinaemia
developed. These symptoms, however, were
mild, and rapidly passed off when the sulphonamide preparations
were discontinued.
There were no deaths from scarlet fever. One " return "
case occurred. This amounted to 0.89% of the patients
discharged.
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