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69
Diphtheria.
There were 320 cases of diphtheria notified during
the year. The age grouping of the cases is given in
the accompanying table. All the cases were removed
to an isolation hospital.
Seven deaths from this disease occurred during
the year, equivalent to a case mortality of 2.2 per
cent., or general death rate of 0.06 per 1,000 of the
population.
There has been much discussion in recent years
concerning artificial means of securing immunity from
Diphtheria. Although the question has been mooted,
no proposal for the use of these means in the Borough
has yet been adopted. As will have been seen from
the figures in my last report, the mortality from
Diphtheria has shown a decided fall during the last
10 years.
I understand that the Schick test and immunisation1
treatment have been employed at the Queen.s Hospital
recently as a means of checking outbreaks of Diphtheria
in the Hospital.
Anti . diphtheritic serum is stocked at the Town
Hall and supplied free on the order of a doctor; 36,000
units were supplied during the year.
Scarlet Fever.
There were 432 cases of scarlet fever notified during
the year, 428 of the patients being removed to an
isolation hospital. The disease is still of a mild
character.
I understand that the Dick test has been used in
the Queen.s Hospital for the purpose of diagnosis and
serum for immunisation or therapeutic purposes, in
order to prevent the spread of scarlet fever in the
hospital.
One death was returned by the Registrar.General
as due to scarlet fever during the year, equal to a case