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It will be seen from this summary that 22 of the 27 cases were of a mild type,
and the remaining five were of a more severe character. In 8 instances it was
impossible to ascertain anything definite as to the probable cause of infection. There
were three cases in which the patients had not been vaccinated, and there was one
case in which, although vaccination was successfully performed, it was too late to
prevent the patient (No. 8) taking the disease.
SCARLET FEVER.
There has been a great diminution in the number of cases of this disease in the
parish as compared with last year, there being 487 cases notified as against 1007 in
1893. The number of deaths registered was 26 as compared with 38 last year. The
case mortality or percentage of attacks terminating fatally was 5.3; last year 3.7 per
cent. of the cases died. The type of the disease therefore was slightly more severe
than in 1893, of the 171 cases below the age of 5 years, 20 died, or 11.6 per cent.,
while of the 316 cases over the age of 5 only 1.9 per cent. died. Slightly more than
65 per cent. of the cases of Scarlatina notified were removed to isolation hospitals.
The weekly numbers of cases notified, with a few exceptions, remained fairly
constant throughout the year, the largest number brought under my notice during any
one week, was in that ending October 6th, when there were 19 cases notified.
It is very satisfactory to record the numbers of cases of Scarlatina removed
during the past year to isolation hospitals; those who have visited amongst the homes
of the poor in the parish, will appreciate how utterly impossible it is, in the vast
majority of cases, to effectually isolate cases of this extremely infectious malady in
their own homes, and how important it is to be able to secure their speedy removal.
No difficulty whatever at any time during the year was experienced in getting
patients, suffering from scarlet fever removed to the hospitals of the Metropolitan
Asylumns Board.
No instances this year were brought under my notice of the recurrence of this
disease in a family following the return of a member thereof from a fever hospital.
This speaks well for the care exercised by the Fever Hospital Authorities, and will
be readily appreciated by those who know how long a patient may remain infectious
after an attack, how tenaciously infection of this disease clings to clothings, &c., and
how readily it is dissiminated by such means.
DIPHTHEEIA.
During the year 1894, 303 cases of Diphtheria were notified as against 513 in 1893.
The deaths numbered 76 as against 149 in 1893, and 25.0 per cent of those attacked
this year died as compared with 29.0 per cent. last year. Of the 130 cases below the age
of 5 years, 56 or 43.0 per cent. died, as compared with 61.3 per cent. last year, and of
thel73 cases over the age of 5 years, 20 or 11.5 per cent. terminated fatally, as against
11.4 in 1893. Of the 76 deaths 70 or 92.1 per cent. were of persons under the age of
15 years.