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II. NOTIFICATION OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE.
In Table V. of Appendix will be found particulars of infectious
diseases notified during the year under report.
The number of cases notified, exclusive of notifications of
tuberculosis, whichn umbered 500 was 1,390 compared with
2,659 in 1918 and 1,855 in 1917. The diseases showing a decrease
on the number for the previous year are diphtheria, erysipelas,
and measles and German measles. Those showing an increase
are scarlet fever and ophthalmia neonatorum.
The attack rate per thousand inhabitants was 15.2 against
24.5 in 1918.
39 cases were returned from hospital as not suffering from
the disease for which they were notified, but if allowance is made
for mild unreported cases, the recorded notifications would, if
anything, understate the actual number of cases.
Diphtheria.
There were 278 cases of diphtheria notified in 1919 as
against 375 cases in 1918.
The attack-rate per thousand inhabitants was 2.24, against
3.46 in 1918. The case mortality was 7.6 per cent., against 6.1
per cent in 1918 and 4.4 per cent, in 1917. 17 cases were returned
as not suffering from this disease.
Scarlet Fever.
The notifications of scarlet fever in 1919 were 888 against 231
in 1918.
This is an increase of 157. The distribution of the disease
in the various Wards, as shown in Table V. of Appendix was
fairly uniform.
22 cases were returned from hospital as not suffering from
scarlet fever.
There were 5 deaths, which gives the very low case mortality
of 1.3 per cent., against 1.3 per cent. in 1918. The disease, as
in recent years, was of a very mild type. The attack rate per
thousand inhabitants was 3.12 against 2.13 in 1918.