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19
The patients were in the following age groups:-
Under 5 years 8 20-30 years 6
5-10 years 13 30-40 years 5
10 - 20 years 6 Over 40 years 1
The two fatal cases were aged 25 and 43 years respectively.
All cases of respiratory paralysis and five of the nine
severely paralysed patients were adults. Polio-virus Type 1 was
isolated from the faeces of 33 of the total of 39 cases,
including all the non-paralytic cases. The six cases from whom
the virus could not be recovered, included one case which proved
fatal, before a specimen could be obtained. All six patients
were adults and include three of the five patients with
respiratory paralysis.
The disease had the usual seasonal incidence and 29 of the
32 cases occurred in the months of July - October inclusive.
Influenza and Pneumonia:- The influenza epidemic in the last
four months of the year proved to be a most unusual and
important occurrence. It commenced in September and, excluding
pneumonia cases, October was the peak month for admissions.
Again excluding pneumonia, vomiting was the most troublesome
symptom and patients were notably in the younger age groups, age
distribution being as follows: 0-10 years, 9; 10-20 years,
11; 20 - 30 years, 7; 30-40 years, 2.
Linked with the influenza outbreak was an increased number
of admissions for pneumonia. Thus 41 of the 66 pneumonia
admissions were in the last three months of the year, a season
not normally associated with a high incidence. Many of the
pneumonia cases were recognizably of influenzal origin, either
from the history or symptoms. All eight fatal cases of
Pneumonia occurred in the peak months for influenza of October
and December. The most unusual and tragic feature of the
epidemic was the occurrence of two fulminating fatal cases of
influenzal pneumonia in children. Similar fatalities have been
reported elsewhere throughout the country.
Other infections:- Cases of rubella and chicken-pox did not
Present any unusual features and were admitted under the usual
circumstances. Of the mumps patients, 11 of the 21 admissions
were adults. There were four cases of meningoencephalitis and
of orchitis. The incidence of the disease and particularly
of nervous complications appeared to be higher than usual.