View report page

18
It is satisfactory to notice that a larger percentage of the Scarlet
Fever cases notified in 1896 were sent into the Hospital, as compared
with the cases notified and sent into the Hospital in 1895. Out of
420 cases notified in 1895 only 125 were admitted into the Hospital,
whilst for 1896 the number of admissions was 273 out of 530 notified
cases, or rather more than half. This is also shown to be the case in
the quarters of the year :—
First Quarter cases admitted, 8 ; cases notified, 40.
Second ,, „ ,, 66; ,, „ 139.
Third „ 121; „ „ 214.
Fourth „ „ „ 78; „ „ 187.
Before passing from the subject of Scarlet Fever, I should like to
allude to the great advantage Scarlet Fever cases treated in an Isolation
Hospital have over those treated at home. In the former case patients
are able as soon as their condition permits (which is usually in about 10
to 14 days) to avail themselves of out-door exercise and sunshine, which
materially aid the progress of the cases, and greatly assist in getting rid
of the infection. On the other hand, where the patient has to be
isolated in a private house, in only very exceptional cases indeed can
facilities be afforded, which will enable such patient to take open-air
exercise without in some way breaking through the isolation. In fact,
in practice it is found that patients suffering from Scarlet Fever and
treated at home are usually confined to one or two rooms, until they
can be pronounced free from infection, a period often lasting from 6 to
8 weeks. There can be no doubt, I think, that children especially will
be found to get on much better when enabled to play out-of-doors with
their fellow sufferers, and the condition of such children at the end of
their illness will compare very favourably with that of less fortunate
sufferers who have been confined to their homes, as regards both their
general health and their freedom from infection.
Diphtheria.—Twenty-four patients were admitted to the Hospital,
but, as already stated, two proved to be cases of inflammation of the
tonsils.
The number compares with eight for 1895. There was only one
death from this disease, a result, I believe, mainly due to the success
of the Anti-toxin treatment, which was adopted in nearly every case.