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A high incidence of haemorrhagic rashes was also noted. It
will be seen that the majority of cases admitted were young children
in many of whom chest complications had already occurred. The
high incidence and severity of complications—a common feature
of widespread epidemics was probably accentuated this year due
to the exceptionally cold weather experienced during the height
of the epidemic. There were two fatal cases. One child aged
four years died seven days after admission, death being considered
due to streptococcal septicaemia. The other fatal case was that
of a child of 15 months suffering on admission from bronchopneumonia
and gastro-enteritis.
Mastoidectomy had to be performed on the two children who
developed acute mastoiditis. In one of these children there was a
co-existing chickenpox infection.
The average period in hospital for all measles admissions was
18 days. In all cases except one admitted as measles the diagnosis
was confirmed.
Whooping Cough. Of the 15 patients admitted suffering from
whooping cough 12 were from Ealing and 3 from Brentford &
Chiswick. Their age distribution was as follows:
Under 1 year 1-2. 2-5 Over 5
7 3 4 1
The following complications were encountered :
Broncho-Pneumonia 6 cases One case became cross-infected
with chicken-pox
Convulsions 2 cases
Bronchitis 4 cases
Due to the high ratio of infants admitted this small total of
whooping cough patients included a high proportion of seriously
ill cases. There were two fatal cases. One child aged 14 months
died from broncho-pneumonia 15 days after admission. The other
fatality concerned a baby aged 4½ months admitted in a moribund
condition suffering from broncho-pneumonia and convulsions.
Death occurred 6 hours after admission.
In addition to the above confirmed cases, admissions for
whooping cough included two cases of bronchitis and one of measles.
Diarrhoeal Diseases. Gastro-enteritis in infants constituted
the most important disease of this group. Of the 13 cases
of gastro-enteritis admitted 9 were under 12 months of age. No
fatalities occurred in cases of primary gastro-enteritis although
one baby was so ill that recovery seemed scarcely to be expected.
All cases except one were admitted during the last five months of
the year, a period during which diarrhoeal disorders appeared to
be more prevalent.