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38
During the year 248 swabbings from throats of persons suspected
to be suffering from diphtheria were bacteriologically examined, 91
of which gave positive and 152 negative results, and 5 were
returned as doubtful.
Diphtheria Anti-Toxin.
In accordance with the Anti-toxin Order of 1910, a supply of
diphtheria anti-toxin has been provided during 1911, and issued
as required to medical practitioners applying for it in cases of
diphtheria amongst the poorer inhabitants of the district. The toxin
has been used both for curative as well as prophylactic purposes.
There were 36 bottles of anti-toxin of 2,000 units each supplied
during the year to medical practitioners, of these 19 bottles were
for curative treatment and 17 for prophylaxis.
Typhoid or Enteric Fever.—There were 48 cases of enteric fever
notified during the year 1911, but of these 9 were afterwards found
not to be suffering from this disease, so the genuine cases of typhoid
fever numbered 39. This is a decrease of 19 over the number of
genuine cases notified during 1910. The attack rate is therefore
.17 per 1,000 living. Of the 48 cases notified, 43 were removed to
hospital. This is equal to 89 per cent. of the total notified. It
will be seen from the chart that most of the cases occurred during
the months of August, September and October, the seasonal months
for this disease, but the bulk of the earlier cases were in the months
of April and May.

From this table it appears that enteric fever was most prevalent
in the central and south-east sub-districts.