View report page

128
Smallpox.—No case of smallpox was reported.
Cholera.—No case was reported as due to Cholera.
Plague.—No case was reported as due to Plague.
Diphtheria and Diphtheritic Membranous Croup.—
One hundred and thirty cases were reported as due
to Diphtheria or Diphtheritic Membranous Croup against
three hundred and thirty-three cases in the previous year.
One hundred and twenty-nine cases were treated at the
Isolation Hospitals and one was treated at home. Five
deaths were registered. The mortality rate on the cases
reported was 3.8 per cent. The cases were fairly evenly
distributed throughout the Borough.
Diphtheria is a disease which calls for prompt action by
both the parent and medical practitioner.
Parents often delay calling in a doctor when children are
ill. Any child who complains of a sore throat should be
immediately seen by a doctor and removed to hospital when
the clinical evidence is such as to give reasonable grounds
for assuming the case to be positive.
If the clinical evidence is not sufficient and it is necessary
to take a swab, anti-toxin should be administered at once
and not delayed until the report is received from the
Pathologist.
Anti-toxin.—During the year a supply of Anti-toxin
was kept in the Public Health Department for the use
of Medical Practitioners attending patients residing in
the Borough.
No difficulty was experienced in removing cases to
Hospital, the accommodation available being adequate for
the number of cases.