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43
Scarlet Fever.—For the third year in succession the number
of cases of scarlet fever exceeded 400, the total of 493 cases showing
a small increase over the previous year. The case-rate of 3.68 per
thousand of population is slightly below the rate of 3.70 recorded
in 1933, the increase of 17 cases being discounted by the increase
of population.
From the table on page 38 it is apparent that the number of
cases in Ealing has been abnormally high in the last three years,
but it must be emphasized that the case-rate, or number of cases
per thousand of population, shows the incidence of the disease in
Ealing to be almost identical with the average for England and
Wales—the case-rate for Ealing being 3.68 compared with 3.76
for the country as a whole.
The occurrence of cases throughout the year was as follows:—
Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec.
68 59 42 43 49 33 14 20 23 35 61 46
From these figures it will be seen that there was a gradual
decline in the cases notified in each month, until only 14 cases
occurred in July, but that during the later months the numbers
showed a tendency to rise until the previous level was attained.
The Wards in which the cases occurred are shown on page 39.
The Greenford South Ward, with 99 cases, experienced the greatest
prevalence, compared with only nine cases in the Castlebar Ward.
The deaths occurring from the disease were only two in number,
a boy five years of age, and a man 37 years of age. Both of these
deaths occurred in hospitals in London. The death-rate for the
Borough of 0.01 per thousand of population is below the deathrate
of 0.02 recorded for England and Wales.
As in the previous two years it has been necessary on occasions
to limit the admission of cases to the Isolation Hospital when
the wards at that institution have been full. Whenever admission
to hospital has been essential on account of the home conditions
of the patient advantage has been taken of the arrangements
made with neighbouring authorities—four cases being nursed in
the Willesden Hospital and one in the Acton Hospital.