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normal, and for the other diseases admitted, a
variable period, depending mainly upon the physical
fitness of the patient. It is only possible, however,
in the case of the mildest forms of attack, and not
in all of them, to discharge the patient on the
expiry of the minimum period. The more severe
cases, and those in which complications develop,
are detained for a much longer period, in a few
instances for as long as three months, and in
exceptional cases double that period. The result
is that the average duration of stav in hospital
of each patient is considerably above that of
the minimum period fixed. These prolonged
cases occur most frequently amongst the Scarlet
Fever patients, in which disease inflammation
of the kidneys is a not unusual complication,
and although the majority of cases recover from
the condition in a few weeks, a number do not
resolve so readily, but drag on for two months or
more, by which time there is great risk of the
condition becoming incurable, or passing on to a
state of Bright's disease, as it is termed. With
such a possibility ahead, in the interests of the
patients themselves, even though infectiousness