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Nurses of the Chelsea District Nurses' Association paid 401 visits to
30 cases—an average of 13 visits per case. Fifty-eight cases were removed
to Hospital, the total number brought to the notice of the Department
in 1922 being 557 cases.
Scarlet Fever.
During the year, 197 cases of Scarlet Fever were notified in Chelsea'
as against 233 in 1921. There were 6 deaths from this disease, namely:
5 between 1 and 5 years of age, and one child of 6 years. The case fatality
rate for the year was 3.0 per cent., as compared with an average of only
1.0 per cent. for the 5 years 1916-20. The type of Scarlet Fever prevailing
has been more severe than has characterised the disease for the last 12
years. Of the total cases notified, 91 per cent. were removed to hospital,
as against 90 per cent. in 1921. The months of greatest prevalence were
February (27 cases), August (21 cases), and October (24 cases). The
months of least prevalence were December (7 cases), April (10 cases),
and March (11 cases). The percentage of cases of school age (3 to 13 years)
was 69 as compared with 75 in 1921.
Diphtheria.
During the year, 120 cases of Diphtheria were notified in Chelsea,
as against 112 in 1921. The disease caused 14 deaths, namely: 12 of
children between 1 and 5 years of age, a child of 8 and a child of 10. The
case fatality rate was a high one, namely 11.7 per cent., as compared with
5.4 per cent. in 1921, and, as in the case of Scarlet Fever, the type of
Diphtheria prevailing has been more severe than usual of recent years.
Of the total 120 cases notified 93 per cent. were removed to hospital, as
against 92 per cent. in 1921. The percentage of cases of school age (3 to
13 years), was 56, as against 76 in 1921. The month of greatest prevalance
was October (25 cases). In no other month were there more than 12 cases.
During the year medical practitioners sent 73 throat or nose swabbings
to the Lister Institute for bacterioscopic diagnosis, as compared with
80 in 1921. Of the 73 specimens, 12, or 16 per cent., afforded positive
evidence of the diphtheria bacillus, and 61, or 84 per cent., were negative,
the corresponding figures for 1921 being 31 per cent. positive and 69
per cent. negative. In two cases the virulence of the bacillus isolated was
tested by animal inoculation, one proving virulent and the other a virulent.
Enteric Fever.
The number of cases of Enteric Fever notified in Chelsea in 1922
was 4, as against 7 in 1921. There were no deaths. Three of the cases
were removed to hospital. In two of the cases the infection of the disease
was contracted outside the Borough. Two specimens of blood were
examined for the Widal reaction, both proving negative.
Diarrhœa and Enteritis.
There were 7 deaths from these diseases in Chelsea in 1922, and
one death from Dysentery in an asylum patient. Of the 7 deaths, 4 were
of infants under one year, one a child between 1 and 2 years, and two
were of old people. In 1921 there were 19 deaths from Diarrhoea. There
were no Diarrhoea deaths in the 3rd or summer quarter of 1922. The