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1921
12
although the disease had been treated sufficiently early to save life,
the treatment did not prevent the occurrence of sequelae and complications.
There is no doubt that Diphtheria, even when of a comparatively
mild type, is a disease which requires unremitting care
from doctors and nurses. In comparatively mild cases, patients
have to be kept in bed for three or four weeks and a couple of months
is not an unusual period in severe cases. Even then, the patients
have to be watched carefully and sometimes put back to bed on
account of some cardiac symptoms. In a district like ours, except
in a minority of cases, this attention cannot be secured except by
removal to hospital. One hundred and fifty nine cases out of the
205 were removed, and in most instances, the cases were nursed at
home because the symptoms were extremely mild in character.
ISOLATION HOSPITAL.
During the year, 718 cases were admitted into the Hospital.
This is considerably the highest number of cases that has been admitted
in any one year. Prior to 1921, the highest number of cases
removed to the hospital was in 1908, when 423 cases were admitted.
On January 1st, 1921, there were 38 cases under treatment,
and on January 1st, 1922, 102.
During the year, 633 patients were discharged and there were
21 deaths.
The pressure on the accommodation of the hospital was very
marked in the autumn, especially during the latter part of September
and October, but no case of diphtheria requiring removal to hospital
was refused, and no delay occurred in the removal of diphtheria
cases. For a short period there was a waiting list of Scarlet Fever
cases, and in some instances a short delay occurred. But all urgent
cases of Scarlet Fever, and all cases occurring in houses where the
presence of a Scarlet Fever patient interfered with the occupation
of the other inmates of the house were immediately removed to the
Hospital.
Of the 205 cases of diphtheria notified, 157 or 76 per cent,
were removed to hospital, and of the 630 cases of Scarlet Fever
notified 389 or 62 per cent. were Temoved to hospital. During the
greater part of the year, the accommodation at the hospital permitted
of the reception of cases from outside districts.