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26
Scarlet Fever.
Forty-nine rases were notified during 1940, which
equals the number of the previous year, thus maintaining;
a low incidence rate of 0.86 per 1,000 population.
Forty-five of these cases were admitted for hospital
treatment—equivalent to 92 per cent. This was a high
rate of admission, and investigation into these admissions
shows that 19 cases removed came from one-child
families, and several cases were adults with no children
in the house. Apart from these practical considerations,
there was no evidence that severity of infection warranted
hospitalization in any of these cases, and home
isolation and treatment could have heen effectively
carried out. While scarlet fever remains comparatively
mild in character, the policy of home isolation is to he
stressed on economic grounds, thus freeing hospital
beds occupied by mild uncomplicated cases. Research
has not proved that hospital isolation has been effective
in reducing prevalence or mortality from scarlet fever.
Diminution in the mortality rate in recent years is essentially
due to decreased severity of the disease, but there
has been no diminution of prevalence of the disease.
Diphtheria.
Eleven cases were notified during 1940, as against
23 in 1939. It is note-worthy to record that only on
five occasions in the past fifty years have comparably
low figures been recorded in this area. A glance at the
following figures shows that 1940 produces the lowest
incidence rate per 1,000 population since 1890. We
cannot, however, derive much comfort from these
isolated figures, as the next tabulation, compiled from
statistics over the past fifty years, gives no room for
complacency in the campaign to stamp out diphtheria.
Year.
Cases
Notified
Incidence Rate
per 1,000 population.
No. of
Deaths.
1895 10 0.40 2
1896 11 0.42 2
1903 9 0.31 1
1932 12 0.25 —
1940 11 0.19 1