View report page

20
Dysentery.—42 of the 43 cases of dysentery admitted were
of the Sonne type. The majority occurred in small groups of
associated cases. The disease generally remained mild though a
few adults were moderately ill. More difficulty was experienced
in eliminating the infection from convalescent carriers than in
previous years.
Whooping Cough.—Of the 33 admissions, 10 were admitted
from institutions and 23 from their own homes. Complications
were present as follows:—Pneumonia—5 cases; bronchitis—4
cases; convulsions—2 cases; and one case each of bronchiectasis
and gastro-enteritis. Admissions occurred in the following age
groups:—Under 1 year—6 (of whom 3 were under 3 months);
1-2 years—5; 2-5 years—17; and over 5 years—5.
Poliomyelitis and Encephalitis.—There was no undue prevalence
of" the disease. The seasonal incidence differed somewhat
from the usual pattern in that only one of the 22 cases occurred
in the last four months of the year. July and August were the
peak months.
Classification of patients admitted, in accordance with the
part of the nervous system predominantly affected : —
Non-Paralytic: Meningitic—3; Encephalitic—1.
Paralytic: Limb and Trunk Palsies—13; Bulbar only—2;
Bulbar and Respiratory—1 ; Bulbar and Encephalitic—1; Other
cranial nerves—1.
11 of the 13 patients with limb paralysis had varying degrees
of residual paralysis on discharge from isolation. Two of these
were women in advanced pregnancy.
Other Infections.—5 of the patients suffering from food
poisoning had Salmonella typhi-murium infection and the remaining
4 patients were infected by Salmonella enteritidis, orianberg,
muenchen and morbificans bovis respectively. Difficulty continued
to be experienced in eliminating the carrier state in
Salmonella typhi-murium infections. The influenza and influenzal
pneumonia cases were admitted in the first four months of the
vear when the disease was epidemic. The patients suffering from
typhoid fever, which has now become a rare disease, contracted
their infection outside the Croydon area.
Chronic Sick Ward.—The 9 admissions were classified as
follows:—Senility—4; Chronic Bronchitis—1; Paralysis—1;
Senile Dementia—1; Colostomy—1; Influenza Pneumonia—1.
Fatal Cases.—There were 25 deaths from the following
causes:—Pulmonary Tuberculosis—16; Gastro-enteritis—2;
Influenzal Pneumonia—2; and one death each from Volvulus,
Lympho-Sarcoma, Acute Bronchitis and Senility, Pulmonary
Fibrosis and Senility, Senile Pemphigus.