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Complications.—The complications met with during 1938
were as follows:
Scarlet Fever.—(Total of 137 cases treated during the year.)
Left Otorrhoea 1
Right Otorrhoea 1
Late Adenitis 2
Rheumatism 1
The complication rate for scarlet fever during 1938 was 3.6 per
cent., as against 5.6 per cent. during 1937 and 4.2 per cent. during
1936. This is actually the lowest complication rate for scarlet
fever yet recorded at the hospital. Undoubtedly, the milder type
of infection now being encountered had a very great deal to do
with determining the scarcity of complications, while the absence
of any overcrowding in the wards, due to the small number of cases
admitted, must also have played a part. In addition, the more
potent methods of treatment now available probably exercised an
ancillary beneficial effect.
Diphtheria.—Apart from the 3 fatal cases met with during the
year, 14 complications occurred among the remaining 216 cases of
diphtheria receiving treatment. This gives a complication rate of
6.4 per cent., as against 6.6 per cent, during 1937 and 9.17 per
cent during 1936. The complications met with were as follows:
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