View report page

Mild Endocarditis 1
Endocarditis 1
Right Otorrhoea 1
Double Otorrhoea 1
Ocular Paralysis 2
Palatal Paralysis 4
Complete Hemiplegia 1
Late Adenitis 2
Acute Nephritis 1
This complication rate (6.4 per cent.) is the lowest yet recorded
at the hospital, and is particularly pleasing in view of the definitely
severe type of infection admitted throughout the year.
Twelve complications occurred among the remaining cases
admitted to the hospital during 1938.
Deaths.—Eleven deaths took place during the year, this
number being the same as that recorded during 1937. These deaths
occurred from the following diseases:
Diphtheria 3
Diphtheria and Scarlet Fever 1
Scarlet Fever, Acute Nephritis and Pneumonia
1
Broncho-Pneumonia 1
Broncho-Pneumonia and Measles 3
Puerperal Sepsis 1
Septicaemia 1
The death rate from diphtheria was 1.8 per cent., as against
3.2 per cent. the previous year. This rate is by far the lowest
which I can find recorded at the hospital, being approximately
less than half the average rate for the past 10 years.
As compared with 1937, the death rate from pulmonary infections
shows a definite and welcome decline.
General Treatment.—No major alterations have been made
in the general method of treatment carried out in the! hospital during
the past year. The very low death rate from diphtheria, while by
no means conclusive in itself, at least indicates that the method
of approach, so far as this disease is concerned, is proving satisfactory.
I am personally convinced that the higher dose of antitoxin
which has been administered during the past few years,
allied to the use of the sulphanilamide group of chemo-therapeutic
drugs, redoxin, adrenalin and anti-scarlet serum, have had their
75