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85
INFECTIOUS DISEASE.
General.—All homes are visited by a Sanitary Inspector and an
Enquiry Officer, who arranges for isolation for Hospital treatment, and
investigates the possible source of infection, and deals with the schools
and contacts.
SMALL POX.
There has been no case, of Small Pox since 1925, nor in the preceding
five years. During the present year there were a few suspected cases
reported which were chiefly found to be chicken pox, one was secondary
syphilis and one a case of general blood poisoning.
SCARLET FEVER.
There has been a considerable increase in the number of cases over
the two preceding years, but the number of deaths has been low in
proportion, and the cases have been of a mild type.
The Dick test has not been adopted in this district, nor has any
scheme of immunisation been put into action.
Of the 741 cases notified in the present year 733 were removed to
Hospital. The number of deaths was 8 and the annual rate of mortality
004.
The number of cases notified and the number of deaths during the
last five years were as follows :—
Notified. Deaths.
1921 ... ... ... 1,266 13
1922 ... ... ... 802 17
1923 ... ... ... 409 4
1924 ... ... ... 534 10
1925 ... ... ... 741 8
DIPHTHERIA.
This disease was very prevalent in 1925 and the number of cases
notified have been increasing steadily during the last five years. This is
largely due to the greater number of throats swabbed and the finding of
bacilli in many cases which a few years ago would have gone unsuspected.
The cases have not been of a serious type and the proportion of
deaths have not been high.