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18
SMALL POX.
There was no notification of small-pox in the Borough during the year.
SCARLET FEVER.
Excluding duplicates, the number of notifications of scarlet fever was 173 in
comparison with 131 in the year 1913. Of these 95 belonged to St. Giles and
Bloomsbury and 78 to the Holborn District. All but 5 of the cases were removed
to hospital. The number of notifications was equal to 3.79 per 1,000 in comparison
with 5"54 for London. The average for the preceding decennium in the Borough
was 2-45 per 1,000. Five of the cases were nurses at hospitals in the Borough.
Errors in Diagnosis.
During the year 6 cases were returned as not suffering from scarlet fever, or
3.5 per cent. of the notifications.
Secondary Cases of Scarlet Fever.
Excluding the above 6 cases, of the remaining 167 notifications, 116 occurred
in houses in which there was no secondary case. In 15 houses 2 cases occurred, in
5 houses 3 cases occurred, and in 2 institutions 4 cases. In a few cases the
primary case was in the latter part of the preceding year.
Return Cases of Scarlet Fever.
Of the above 53 secondary cases, 9 were "Return" cases, i.e., cases which
occurred in a house soon after the return home of a patient from hospital. Of
the 8 infecting cases, 1, apparently, was the cause of 2 "Return" cases.
DIPHTHERIA.
The number of cases of diphtheria was 63 in comparison with 59 in the year
1913. Of these 29 belonged to St. Giles and Bloomsbury and 34 to the Holborn
District. All but 3 were removed to Hospital. The notification rate was l.35
per 1,000 in comparison with 2.03 per 1,000 for London. The average for the
preceding decennium for the Borough was 1.17 per 1,000. Five of the cases were
nurses at a hospital in the Borough.
Errors in Diagnosis.
Five of the patients were returned from the Hospitals of the Metropolitan
Asylums Board as not suffering from diphtheria, or 7.9 per cent. of the cases
notified.