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53
Tracheotomy was performed on six occasions, in three of
which it resulted in saving the life of the child.
55 cases of Scarlet Fever and 9 cases of Diphtheria were
treated on the "barrier" system.
DIPHTHERIA.
The number of oases of Diphtheria admitted—127—is the
largest in the history of the Hospital. During recent years the
following are the numbers received:—1913, 98; 1912, 83; 1911,
109; 1910, 90.
Many of the cases were in a very grave condition on admission:
some indeed were quite beyond hope of recovery, and were
moved to hospital more for the protection of the other members
of the family than as a remedial measure for the sufferer.
The severity of the type of disease chiefly accounts for the
increased mortality, and another factor was the delay in some
cases in the use of anti-toxin.
Of the 23 fatal cases only 5 were injected with serum during
the first two days of the illness, 12 were injected between the 3rd
and 5th days, and 5 did not receive anti-toxin until the 6th or
subsequent days, one being as Jong delayed as the 11th day.
The causes of death were as follows:—
Toxaemia 12
Syncope 6*
Laryngeal 2
Paralysis 2
Pulmonary Congestion 1†
* including 2 following Tracheotomy.
† following Tracheotomy.