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99
SCARLET FEVER.
The notifications numbered 251 and the deaths 5. The notifications
were more in 1913 than they had been since 1908. The
deaths were, with the exception of 1910, less than they had been
in any previous year since the Borough was formed. The epidemic
which prevailed in 1913 was an exceedingly mild one. The patients
in some cases attended school throughout their illness until they
peeled. Several cases were discovered peeling in school. Many
of them had only complained of a slight sore throat about three
weeks before, a sore throat sufficient to prevent them eating
solids, but not sufficient to prevent them drinking. In these cases
the rash had often been missed, and the temporary indisposition
was attributed to "influenza," to "drinking cold water when the
stomach was heated," to a "fright," to the "heat," to biliousness,
in short, to anything but scarlet fever. One patient, who
afterwards peeled, so deceived his medical attendant that the doctor
frankly averred that he must be shamming. With such slight
determining signs the investigation of these cases proved very
difficult. One was medically treated at home as a case of
"rheumatic fever " until the occurrence of a second case of scarlet
fever in the family aroused the suspicions of the doctor, and drew
his attention to the fact that the patient was now peeling. In
some instances the children, when taken to a doctor, showed no
physical signs, and the parents were told "to look out for peeling,"
and if it was observed "to bring the child again." This is one
of the drawbacks of cheap medicine and dispensary practice. The
onus of diagnosis is, in part, improperly cast on the untutored
parent.
With the exception of 21 cases, all the rest, 230 in number, were
between one and fifteen years. The deaths were 1.93 per cent.
of the total number of cases, or, roughly, one in every 50 children
affected died. Seven cases were treated at home; suitable measures
were taken to ensure the isolation of the patient. The rest, 244,
were treated in hospital.
The particulars with regard to previous years are appended.