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71
OTHER NOTIFIABLE DISEASES.
Malaria.—Six cases were notified. In all cases the disease had been contracted abroad,
but they were notified owing to a recurrence of the illness. Another case was notified, but
this was one of "induced" malaria, in which the disease was deliberately given as a method
of treatment for general paralysis. The effect in this case was beneficial, and the patient has
been discharged from the institution and sent home.
Dysentery.—The notifiable forms of this disease are Amœbic and Bacillary Dysentery,
and the infection in these cases has usually been contracted abroad. One case of the bacillary
type occurred during the year and proved fatal—the patient was an Italian subject engaged
in a restaurant.
Anthrax.—One case was notified. The disease is not common, no previous case having
been reported since 1918. It usually occurs in persons who handle imported hair or hides.
The case in question occurred in a man engaged in tanning goat skins, which had been
imported from India and various parts of Africa. At the tannery in question great care is
taken, and the employees have adequate medical supervision. This is well shown by the fact
that only four cases have occurred during a period of 12 years, and during this period about
eight million skins have been handled. The man made a good recovery and returned to the
same work.
No cases of typhus, cholera, plague., glanders, or hydrophobia were notified.
WHOOPING COUGH.
This disease was very prevalent, especially during the months of January and February.
The mortality was also great, the number of deaths recorded, 71, being, with one exception,
the highest number during any of the past 10 years. 29 of the deaths were of children under
1 year of age. It is a curious fact that whooping cough is the one disease which is more fatal
to girls than to boys. Since 1915 the total number of deaths from this cause is 477, and of this
number 207 were boys and 270 girls.

DIARRHŒA AND ENTERITIS.
Fifty-five deaths were recorded during the year from the above causes. Of this number
45 were of children under 1 year of age.
Deaths from these causes are most numerous in summer and early autumn, especially
if the weather is hot and dry, and flies are very numerous. The principal victims are artificially
fed babies, the infection being due to contamination of milk and other food by flies.
Breast fed babies suffer very little from these affections.
The following table gives particulars concerning the deaths from the above causes,
and the total infant mortality rate from all causes during the past 10 years.:—