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72
THE FORTY-SIXTH ANNUAL REPORT
on the
MUNICIPAL HOSPITAL
By ARTHUR G. TROUP, M.D., D.P.H.
Medical Superintendent.
During 1937, 1,762 patients were admitted to Hospital as compared with 1,754 in 1936, 1,156 in
1935, 1,425 in 1934, 1,201 in 1933.
During the past two years cases requiring treatment for ear, nose and throat conditions and
infants suffering from marasmus have been admitted to Hospital, and this accounts for the numbers
of patients as compared with previous years.
Cerebro-Spinal Fever.
Ten cases of this disease were treated in Hospital during the year and three deaths occurred.
The fatal cases were aged 25 years, 6 years and 1 year respectively. One patient died within an
hour of being admitted to Hospital, and the other two fatal cases were of a malignant type and failed
to respond to serum treatment.
Diphtheria.
303 cases were admitted to Hospital as compared with 290 cases during 1936. These may be
classified as follows:—Faucial 182, Naso-Pharyngeal 62, Nasal 42, Laryngeal 9, Aural 5, Carriers 3.
The total number of cases under treatment was 368.
It was necessary to perform the operation of tracheotomy on three of the laryngeal cases, of which
two recovered and one died. Two cases subsequently diagnosed as laryngitis also had to have this
operation carried out, one of which recovered and the other died.
The mortality rate of 4T% shows a decrease of 15% over the figure for last year, The immediate
causes of death in the 15 fatal cases were:—Myocarditis 9 cases, Toxaemia 4 cases, Laryngeal Obstruction
and Broncho-Pneumonia 1 case each.
Enteric Fever.
Five cases of Paratyphoid Fever B were admitted during the year. All were of a moderate type
and no deaths occurred.
Erysipelas.
Forty-six cases of this disease were treated during the year. No deaths occurred.
Measles.
Measles was not epidemic during 1937, and only 33 cases were admitted to Hospital. No deaths
occurred.
Convalescent Measles Serum.
Measles infection was introduced into the female scarlet fever ward, and there were five susceptible
contacts. All of these received a prophylactic dose of convalescent measles serum and all
were fully protected.
For the past few years the L.C.C. have prepared this serum from the blood supplied, but owing to
increased pressure of work they are no longer able to continue this service. In future the necessary
tests and preparation of the serum will be carried out at the laboratories of Messrs. Evans, Lescher
and Webb. Liverpool.

The case of puerperal mania was transferred to another institution. All the other patients made
a good recovery.