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77
Diphtheria.
There were 370 cases of diphtheria notified during
the year. The age grouping of the cases is given in
the accompanying table. All but 2 of the cases were
removed to an isolation hospital.
10 deaths from this disease occurred during the
year, equivalent to a case mortality of 2.7 per cent.,
or general death rate of 0.1 per 1,000 of the population.
From information received from the hospitals it would
appear that in 55 cases (or 14.9 per cent, of the total)
the diagnosis of Diphtheria was not confirmed. Eighteen
cases seem to have been developed in hospital,
while there were 15 " second cases " in families in
which a case had recently occurred.
Anti-diphtheritic serum is stocked at the Town
Hall and supplied free on the order of a doctor; 52,000
units were supplied during the year.
Scarlet Fever.
There were 436 cases of scarlet fever notified during
the year, 422 of the patients being removed to an
isolation hospital.
One death was certified as due to scarlet fever
during the year, equal to a case mortality of 0.2 per
cent., and a death rate of 0.01 per 1,000 population.
From information received from the hospitals, it would
appear that in 36 cases (or 8.2 per cent, of the total)
the diagnosis was not confirmed. Eight cases seem
to have been developed in hospital, while there were
20 " second cases."
Mild Smallpox.
Two cases of mild Smallpox were notified but the
diagnosis was not confirmed at the hospital.