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28
DIPHTHERIA.
80 cases of diphtheria were notified during the year, and
there were 8 deaths ; 2 deaths occurred outside the district, and the
disease in these cases was also contracted outside.
Although there has been a reduction in the number of notifications,
the figures indicate that the disease on the whole has been
of a virulent type; but the virulent cases have been in non-inimunised
children. We have now been artificially immunizing
children for nearly four years, and since we have commenced artificial
immunization no deaths have occurred in a child w ho has been
fully inoculated. During last year, 11 children who had been inoculated
contracted diphtheria, but in even' instance the disease
was of a mild character, and in most cases it was not necessary to
administer antitoxin. This is in accordance with the experience
of most of those who have carried out artificial immunization. It
has been recognised for a long time that a certain percentage of
children who have been immunized revert or relapse and become
positive. Considerable variation in relapse rates has been found,
in some instances, as high as 14 per cent. has been stated to have
relapsed within a year of immunization, but as far as we are con|cerned,
although artificial immunization does not confer absolute
immunity, the process for all practical purposes confers such immunity
that no patient who has been immunized is in any danger
of his life, nor does he suffer from the sequelae of diphtheria.
TUBERCULOSIS.
77 cases of Pulmonary Tuberculosis, and 19 cases of other
forms of Tuberculosis were notified during the year.,
There were 32 deaths from Pulmonary Tuberculosis and 9
deaths from other forms of Tuberculosis.
The death notification interval of the 32 patients who died
of Pulmonary Tuberculosis in 1935, was:—
Information from Death Returns 5
Died within 1 month after notification 5
Died between 1 and 3 months after notification 5
Died between 3 and 6 months after notification 6
Died between fi and 12 months after notification 1
Died between 1 and 2 years after notification 3
Died between 2 and 3 years after notification 1
Died over 3 years after notification 6