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Comparative returns of Infectious diseases notified during the past ten years,
viz.:—
1899.
1900.
1901.
I902.
1903.
1904.
1905
1906.
1907.
1908.
Small-pox
92
228
1
1
2
Diphtheria
76
71
29
62
38
52
59
106
44
60
Membranous Croup
2
1
2
1
Erysipelas
21
18
24
26
25
33
29
35
19
14
Scarlet Fever
65
67
41
57
53
98
163
145
150
I40
Enteric Fever
15
28
48
34
13
13
15
29
I I
13
Puerperal Fever
2
1
2
1
2
Chicken-pox
187
8
Phthisis
10
l6
12
6 mths.
177
188
235
595
140
199
269
326
240
241
Scarlet Fever. Of the 140 cases of this disease 94 were children between
the ages of 5 and 15 years, that is, children attending school, and 36 were children
between 1 year and 5 years, leaving only 10 cases which occurred in persons over
15 years of age. In many of the cases occurring between 1 and 5 years of age, the
disease was taken from an older child attending school. In the majority of cases it
was impossible to trace the infection to any particular source, and there is practically
no doubt that it was contracted in school. There was however at no time during
the year any special incidence of the disease on any particular school or any
particular class in any school. Most of the cases are of a very mild character and I
am certain that other still milder cases occur which escape detection altogether
owing to the fact that only a very slight sore throat, and a very faint rash, if any, are
present, and that these undetected cases are sources of infection. There were four
" return " cases during the year.
The number of deaths from Scarlet Fever during the year was nil.
3
Inquests.
There were 26 inquests held during 1908.
Deaths registered during each month:—
January 23
February 25
March 34
April 24
May 19
June 17
July 16
August 17
September 16
October 21
November 16
December 17
Total 245
Infectious Disease.
There were 241 cases of infectious disease notified during the year, an increase
of 1 as compared with 1907. Of these 140 were Scarlet Fever, 60 Diphtheria, 14
Erysipelas, 13 Enteric Fever, 2 Puerperal Fever, and 12 Phthisis.