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35
ISOLATION HOSPITAL.
This Hospital is controlled by the "Joint Hospital Hoard," a
body composed of members of the Urban and Rural District Councils,
to whom I beg to express my warmest thanks for the readiness
with which all suggestions from the matron and myself, for the
well-being of the Hospital and its patients are responded to. The
hospital continues to work satisfactorily, many grave cases having
been successfully treated, which could not possibly have resulted
favourably in their own homes, thus saving much human life and
suffering. The number of cases admitted during the year was
268. Of these 200 were cases of Scarlet Fever, 66 of Diphtheria,
and 2 of Enteric (Typhoid) Fever. Not all these came from
the Romford Urban and Rural districts, as 35 were admitted from
Brentwood and neighbourhood, the Isolation Hospital for that district
being, at that time, full. 15 cases came from the Romford Union
Workhouse and its Boarded-out Homes. The cases of Scarlet Fever
were, for the most part, of a mild type, but many of the cases
of Diphtheria were extremely severe, necessitating the oparation
of Tracheotomy in 11 instances. Of the cases of Enteric Fever
one was severe and one was mild. 8 deaths were caused by
Diphtheria, and 3 by Scarlet Fever.
I should like to say a few words here about "Return Cases,"
i.e., instances where, after the return of a child to its home,
another member of the familly has been attacked, apparently
infected by the case just returned from hospital. This only applies
to Scarlet Fever, no instances of a "Return Case" in Diphtheria
having occurred. These occurrences have caused some uneasiness
in the public mind, and I have, on several occasions, been called
upon to give an explanation of what has been unjustly assumed
to be the fault of the hospital staff. I have on these occasions
pointed out to the Hospital Board, how impossible it is, in all
cases of Scarlet Fever, to say when all infection is over. The