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20
SMALL POX.
There was no notification of small-pox in the Borough during the year.
In London 11 cases were notified, and 90 in England and Wales.
SCARLET FEVER.
Excluding duplicates, the number of notifications of scarlet fever was 154 in
comparison with 173 in the year 1914. Of these 106 belonged to St. Giles and
Bloomsbury and 48 to the Holborn District. All but 2 of the cases were removed
to Hospital. The number of notifications was equal to 3.82 per 1,000 in comparison
with 3.95 for London. The average for the preceding decennium in the Borough
was 2.65 per 1,000. Four of the cases were nurses at Hospitals in the Borough.
Errors in Diagnosis.
During the year 9 cases were returned as not suffering from scarlet fever, or
5.8 per cent. of the notifications.
Secondary Cases of Scarlet Fever.
Excluding the above 9 cases, of the remaining 145 notifications, 93 occurred
at houses in which there was no secondary case. In 12 houses 2 cases occurred, in
3 houses 3 cases, and in 2 houses 4 cases. In one large institution for about
720 employees 12 cases occurred. In one instance the primary case occurred in
the October of the preceding year.
Return Cases of Scarlet Fever.
Excluding the above large institution at which some of the secondary cases
were possibly infected by cases after their return from Hospital, of the remaining
secondary cases, 2 were " return " cases, i.e., cases occurring in a house soon after
the return home of a patient from Hospital.
DIPHTHERIA.
The number of cases of diphtheria was 67 in comparison with 63 in the year
1914. Of these 31 belonged to St. Giles and Bloomsbury and 36 to the Holborn
District. All but 2 were removed to Hospital. The notification rate was 1.66
per 1,000 in comparison with 212 per 1,000 for London. The average for the
preceding decennium for the Borough was 1.22 per 1,000. Three of the cases were
nurses at a Hospital in the Borough.
Errors in Diagnosis.
Seven of the patients were returned from the Hospitals of the Metropolitan
Asylums Board as not suffering from diphtheria, or 10.4 per cent. of the cases
notified.