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40
Medical Officers of Health Annual Report.
The other, who was taken ill on January 11th, was a
letter sorter in the General Post Office, and was 22 years
of age. There were stated to have been previous cases
where he was employed, but I was not able to definitely
trace the cause of infection. He was promptly removed
to the hospital ship and no further case occurred.

This shows that the cases were most numerous in the
earlier months of the year. 73 patients were removed
to hospital, or 37 per cent., a distinct drop in the number
removed from the previous years. There were 9 deaths,
giving a case mortality of 4.5 per cent., the disease,
therefore, was of a mild type.
In connection with the spread of scarlet fever it
cannot be doubted that schools, in spite of the precautions
that are taken to make the teachers aware of the
existence of cases of disease, and the efforts that are
made to prevent the return of children to school before
They are themselves free of infection, and their homes
have been disinfected, have still a responsibility to bear.
Between the ages of 3 and 14 there were 151 cases of
scarlet fever, whilst there were 48 only at all other ages.
The small number of cases notified in August, during
most of which month the elementary schools are having
holidays, may not unlikely have a similar significance.
During the very great prevalence of scarlet fever in 1893