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erecting such a permanent structure, and, also, the
reasons for erecting the present iron building, its site, its
capacity, and its capability for coping with the amount
of infectious disease with which this district was credited.
A variety of evidence for and agaiust the temporary
hospital was brought forward, and the Committee of
Inquiry, including the Medical Officer of Health to the
County Council, visited the present building. Finally it
was approved as being a temporary measure accelerated
by matters of emergency, the site was still left open to
doubt, and the County Council considered that our
District Council should, nevertheless, look out for another
site on which to build a Permanent Hospital.
Of the usefulness of the building there can be no
question, but whether it is capable of dealing adequately
with our infectious disease is a matter which time alone
will show. The enquiry made by the County Council was,
in my opinion, somewhat premature, for at that time the
Hospital was only in its infancy, bavins; been opened
but a few weeks, and it was therefore impossible to tell
the extent of its usefulness in checking the spread of
infectious disease.
It will be seen from the following Table that, as regards Scarlet
Fever, the number of cases treated and the percentage of treated cases
as compared with the total number notified has increased, with the
exception of the years 1891 and 1895. In 1891 the hospital was
only opened for about four months; and in 1895 it was found
necessary to close the Hospital for a short time, owing to the
occurrence of a case of Small Pox.
There was no accommodation provided for Diphtheria cases until
the present Hospital was opened, and during the two months that
remained in the year six cases were admitted.
Of the 408 cases of Scarlet Fever that have been treated, only
four deaths have occurred, being a mortality less than one per cent., a
fact which speaks well for the site of the Hospital.
There was one death from Diphtheria of the six cases admitted at
the end of the year. The child was admitted in a moribund condition,
and never rallied.
The effect of the additional accommodation afforded by the new
hospital was especially marked in the subsequent number of cases of
Scarlet Fever notified, there being G5 in October, and 86 and 46 in
November and December respectively.