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Scarlet Fever—Scarlet Fever remained a mild disease
throughout the year. The only severe complications encountered
were one case of nephritis and one of endocarditis. The incidence
of otitis media was low—about 5 per cent. The total number of
admissions was less than in any year since 1941, when the
incidence was affected by large scale evacuation of children. The
reduced number of admissions was in part due to the fact that a
second ward could not be opened for these cases during the
prevalent winter period, as had been done in previous years.
Measles.—1951 was a measles year. The disease became
epidemic during the first five months of the year. Seventy-six
cases were admitted but accommodation at the hospital unfortunately
fell short of what was required. Interesting and unusual
complications encountered were, one case of meningo-encephalitis.
one case developing Haemophilis influenza meningitis, a case of
hemorrhagic measles in which a hæ
morrhagic state was accompanied
by severe renal haemorrhage and a case of laryngeal
obstruction requiring emergency tracheotomy. No fatal cases
occurred.
Chicken-pox.—Admissions were mainly from hospitals,
institutions, rest centres and residential schools to control spread
of infection. A few patients were severely ill. These were an
adult with staphylococcal pneumonia, gangrenous chicken-pox in
a child resulting in staphylococcal septicaemia and general
peritonitis and chicken-pox occurring in a hydrocephalic infant
in whom gangrene of the grossly distended scalp accelerated
death. There was also one patient with complicating pleurisy.
Whooping Cough—All 28 cases admitted were from the
Croydon Rorough. Seven patients had broncho-pneumonia and
2 had convulsions. This was the first year in which chloramphenicol
was available for regular treatment of whooping cough
and the results in this limited number of cases appeared to be
good. It is probably significant in this connection that 1951 was
the first year since 1940 in which no fatal case was encountered.
In 1940, however, only 4 cases were admitted, due doubtless to
the large scale evacuation of children from the Rorough. As far
as could be ascertained, the drug did not alter the infectivitv of
cases, as positive swabs could still be obtained after treatment.
Mumps—Twenty-five of the 27 patients admitted were from
residential schools, children's homes and hospitals. One patient
developed pancreatitis and oophoritis while another developed
mumps meningitis.