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1929
46
and in some hospitals, the usual period of detention has been considerably
reduced, but to any one who is well acquainted with the
vagaries of Scarlet Fever convalescents the figures adduced do not
carry much weight. One writer stated that he had released from
isolation over 20 cases whose quarantine time from the onset of
illness varied from 17 to 24 days. This is quite possible, but in
the next 20 cases, although the conditions upon discharge may
have appeared similar, he may have many of these latter devoloping
complications or giving rise to "return" cases.
We have reduced the usual period of quarantine from six
weeks to five weeks, and so far the percentage of return cases does
not seem to be higher than it was when the longer period was
observed. Of the 314 cases admitted the average stay in the
hospital was 39.33 days. Some of the cases were in for a very
long period—the longest being in for 132 days, and another for
126 days. The majority of the cases were discharged within 5
weeks.
I have excluded the outside cases in estimating the return"
cases.
203 were admitted from Acton into the hospital during the
year. Some of these were discharged in 1930, but as this report
is written in May, any return cases from these would be included.
8 return cases occurred, and the dates were as follows :—
Infecting case discharged from Hospital. Return case notified.
19/4/29 6/6/29
15/6/29 28/6/29
29/10/29 14/11/29
30/10/29 20/12/29
26/11/29 1/12/29
4/12/29 16/12/29
28/12/29 4/1/30
25/2/30 17/4/30
Diphtheria
103 cases of Diphtheria were admitted and there were 3
deaths. The death-rate from Diphtheria was very low, and was
due to the early administration of antitoxin, although, naturally,
with such a low percentage mortality, there were many mild cases
admitted, there was a considerable percentage of severe and very
severe cases. In every instance where the disease was diagnosed,
and antitoxin administered, early, the patient recovered. The
importance of early administration of antiioxin in severe cases
cannot be too strongly emphasized. Some doctors still wait for the
result of a bacteriological examination before they notify a case.
A bacteriological examination may be necessary in mild cases, but