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51
SCARLET FEVER
638 cases of Scarlet Fever were notified during the year, as
compared with 737 for the corresponding period last year.
In my last Annual Report I pointed out that from 1904 there
had been a progressive increase in the number of cases of Scarlet Fever
notified, and that a continuance of this increase would result in the
prevalence of cases of infectious disease in excess of the hospital
accommodation provided. The question of hospital extension was
considered and a scheme approved by the Public Health Committee,
but the Council decided, in view of the declining incidence of the
disease, to postpone further action in the matter.
1 desire to urge the importance of the scheme upon the further
attention of the Council. The administrative buildings at the hospital
are inadequate for the normal provision of beds, and temporary
buildings are used for hou-ing the permanent staff. If the administrative
buildings are adequate there should be no difficulty in dealing with
such emergencies as are likely to arise, but to leave this until the
inadequacy of the provision is demonstrated by breakdown is neither
wise nor economical.
The additional expenditure required (about £7,000) is not great,
and the very considerable expenditure represented in the existing
hospital loses much of its justification when the withholding of a small
proportional increase threatens to limit the usefulness of the provision
made.