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24
The year under review, therefore, judged by the general deathrate,
compares favourably both with our own standard of the
past two years and also with that of other districts.
SMALL-POX.
No deaths have occurred from this disease, but two notifications
were received. One turned out to be a genuine case, that
of a ship's steward just returned from abroad. He was promptly
removed by the M.A.B. officials to their Small-Pox Hospital, and
after 54 days' stay there was discharged cured. In his home,
dwelling with him, were his wife and eight children, the latter
ranging in age from 15 years to 16 months, all except the lastj.
named having been vaccinated in infancy.
This child was vaccinated, and all the rest re-vaccinated. The
man being at home only two days before he was removed, the
only contacts, outside his own family, were a man and his wife
from Edmonton. Notice was sent to the Medical Officer of Health
of that district. I visited the house for 14 days after the case
had been removed, and no further cases occurred.
The other case was notified by two practitioners, who asked
me to give my opinion, and, although I did not think it was smallpox,
in the face of two contrary opinions I sent it to the M.A.B.
Diagnosing Station, whence they returned it the next day in
agreement with my opinion.