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13
Scarlet Fever
The number of cases of Scarlet Fever notified during 1953 was 215. The
disease again was mild in character and no deaths were attributed to it, 102
cases were admitted to hospital but the diagnosis was amended in 20 of these.

Whooping Cough
During the year, 360 notifications of the disease were received, an
increase of 221 over last year There was one fatal case in a baby girl of
three months.
Hiring the five years 1949-53 there have been a total of 1634 notifications
of the disease and five deaths. The notification of whooping cough is
believed to be very incomplete, probably only about a quarter of the cases
being notified, Analysis of the figures by yearly age groups shows that the
number of cases notified for each year of age up to four increases gradually
but there is a marked rise at the age of five This could be due to greater
risks of exposure to infection at school or more certain notification consequent
upon certification for absence from school. In all probability both
operate to give a higher notification in this group. After the age of five
notification shows a sharp decline.
The figure of five deaths considered against the probable incidence of
the disease gives a low case mortality. What it does not show, however, is
the disability which is caused to many of the sufferers from the disease,
fhe damage to the lungs which may follow whooping cough can cause much illhealth
to the individual for many years •• perhaps for life.
The deaths attributed to whooping cough in the past five years have been
in infants whose ages ranged from three to twelve months. This bears out the
fact that it is in the first year of life that whooping cough is most dangerous.