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42
From this table it appears that the deaths in 25 years due to
scarlet fever, diphtheria, typhoid fever and small-pox, all taken
together, numbered 496, to whooping cough 752, and measles 1,312.
In children under 5 years therefore, it is seen that measles
kills nearly three times the number of children whose deaths are
caused by small pox, scarlet fever, diphtheria and typhoid fever all
combined. Whooping cough causes nearly twice the number of
deaths accredited to the other four named infectious diseases.
Diphtheria.—The number of cases notified was 252, all except
one of which were admitted to isolation hospital. Of these, 51
were subsequently sent home as not suffering from diphtheria, one
case proved to be scarlet fever, 3 cases proved to be laryngitis,
15 cases were diagonised as tonsillitis, 1 conjunctivitis and impetigo,
1 headache, 1 Vincent's angina, 1 diphtheritic conjunctivitis, 1 acute
pneumonia,and 27 were described as "not diphtheria," leaving 201
true cases of diphtheria. There were 6 deaths, so that 3 per cent. of
all the patients died. The number of cases is 58 more than last
year ; the number of deaths is 8 less than in 1924.
The case treated at home was kept under observation ; suitable
measures were adopted to secure isolation, and the premises were
disinfected upon the recovery of the patient.