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55
THE THIRTY-THIRD ANNUAL REPORT
FOR THE
Year ending 31st December, 1924,
ON THE
MUNICIPAL HOSPITAL
By W. J. J. STEWART, M.D., D.P.H.
TO THE CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE WILLESDEN DISTRICT COUNCIL.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
In 1924, 626 patients were admitted as compared with 674 in 1923, 1,132 in 1922, and 1,556 in
1921, in which year Scarlet Fever was epidemic.
Scarlet Fever.
During the past year only 141 cases of this disease were admitted, 2 of which died. There
were 184 in 1923. All the attacks were of the mildest type, the fatal cases dying from complications.
Diphtheria.
245 cases were admitted, or 134 less than in the previous year. The attacks were of the mild
or moderately severe type, no very malignant attacks being admitted. 5 patients died, 3 of these
having been admitted too late in the attack for treatment to benefit them, whilst the other 2 died
of lung complications after tracheotomy. Altogether, 5 cases were tracheotomied, 3 recovered.
17 Larval and 26 Carrier cases of the disease were admitted. For the purpose of calculating the
mortality rate, they have been excluded.
Amongst the Larval cases, 3 of these harboured organisms for protracted periods. In
consequence, the infecting organisms were tested for virulence, all of them proving to be non-virulent.
Combined attacks occurred as follows : —
Diphtheria et Rubella, Diphtheria et Morbilli, Diphtheria et Mumps, Diphtheria et
Varicella, one case each.
Enteric Fever.
Five cases in all were admitted, all of them being moderately severe—all recovered. Three
were ordinary Typhoid Fever ; the other two being paratyphoid B. type.
Other Infectious Diseases.
No less than 235 patients were admitted under this heading. This is mainly on account
of the fact that during the summer months of the year, a large number of Rubella or German Measles
and Measles cases were admitted from various Hospitals and Institutions in the district where serious
outbreaks amongst the child inmates had occurred.