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45
Again, two patients went from here to a Convalescent
establishment, as they were unable to return to their
lodgings direct. Not being able to take their goods with
them when admitted here, these things had been forwarded
to a friend. The lady wrote me from the Convalescent
Home, 'The friend to whom I sent on the trunk has
taken Scarlet Fever, and they protest my things have
conveyed it. It is most unfortunate, but as they were all
disinfected by the Sanitary people, I cannot see how it can
be.' Clearly, in neither of these instances, quoted as
examples, was infection caused by the discharged patient."
Small-pox.— During the year 1,264 cases of this
disease were received at the Wharves. In 152 instances
the patients were found to be free from the disease,
and were sent back to their homes, some at once, others
after detention at the Wharves for varying periods.
The total number of instances of erroneous diagnosis
of this disease numbered 155, or 12.2 per cent.
There were admitted to the Hospital Ships, 1,133
cases (most of the patients coming from the Wharves)
and three infants were born on the Ships. The
deaths during the year numbered 102, equal to a
gross mortality among the patients on the Ships of
8.65 per cent. Of the 1,136 patients, 1,109 had
small-pox on admission, and of these, 98 died,
giving a corrected mortality of 8.45 per cent.
The total number of cases of (undoubted) smallpox
admitted to the Board's Hospitals during 1894
was 1,117. In 797 of these patients, marks of
vaccination were present; in 68 there was "no
evidence" as to vaccination, and in 252 were