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137
In table 3 at page 135 the notifications of infectious
disease in each of the streets are set out. They number
79. The notifications in the parish, as a whole, were
1,665 : they would have been 3,591 had they been in the same
ratio to population as in the Special Area. The notifications
of scarlet fever (899), diphtheria (243), enteric fever (104), and
erysipelas (282) would have been 1,227, 454, 227, and 1,636,
respectively, had they been in the same proportion to population
as in the Special Area. The cases in the district of
scarlet fever, diphtheria, and enteric fever, would have been far
more numerous, but for the speedy isolation of the sick in
hospital. Having regard to the nature of erysipelas, its
prevalence in a ratio nearly six times as great as in the parish,
as a whole, is significant as an indication of conditions of life of
an unwholesome character. The case of small-pox was
removed to hospital, and there was no spread of the
disease ; the patient recovered. The 27 cases of scarlet fever
occurred in 24 houses: 25 of the cases were removed to
hospital. In one case there was refusal to go, and in one case
the patient was too ill to be removed, and died. In hospitals
there were four deaths. The ten cases notified as diphtheria
occurred in 9 houses: 9 were removed to hospital and
recovered : the tenth was too ill to be removed, and died.
The five cases of enteric fever occurred in as many houses:
all of them were removed to hospital, where one died. Of
the 36 erysipelas cases 21 were treated at the Infirmary: all
recovered. These facts it may be observed, in passing,
illustrate the value of hospitals Had the infectious
cases been kept at home there would probably have
been spread of the several diseases, as isolation would
have been impossible, and many more deaths. As it was, the
cases were notified and removed to hospital without delay,
and the houses were disinfected forthwith, with the result that,
despite the number of centres of infection during the year,
there was no spread in any case. Of the erysipelas cases five
were of persons who had resided at common lodging-houses,
this being the only notifiable disease recorded as having
occurred at these establishments.