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64
SECTION G. PREVALENCE OF, AND CONTROL OVER
INFECTIOUS AND OTHER DISEASES.
Statistical details regarding notifiable diseases are shown in
Tables XIII, XIV, and XV in the Appendix.
SCARLET FEVER.
135 cases were notified during the year, representing an
attack rate of 2.15 per 1,000 population, of whom 91 or 67.4 per
cent. were isolated in hospital. The disease was mild in type,
and there was no mortality. There were four " return " cases.
The policy of home treatment has been encouraged over the
past years and while the type of disease continues to be comparatively
mild, the admission to hospital is of secondary importance
to the admission of cases of measles and whooping
cough.
In considering the number of cases notified, it must not be
overlooked that the milder the infection, the more likelihood
there is of the spread by missed cases.
DIPHTHERIA.
Only one case of diphtheria was notified as occurring in the
Borough during the year, the patient- being adult.
There was, however, one death from diphtheria which
occurred in the person of a child aged 14 months who contracted
the disease and died whilst on holiday out of the area. The child
had not been immunised.
Diphtheria Immunisation.
It would appear that the results of the intensive immunisation
campaign are beginning to show themselves in the very low
incidence in the occurrence of the disease.
During the year, 711 children under 5 years, and 163 aged
between 5 and 14 years received primary immunisation inoculations,
and, in addition, 791 children received reinforcing
injections.
According to the statistics available, 47.9 per cent. of all
children under 15 in the Borough have been protected against
diphtheria, but this figure is known to present an incomplete