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Metropolitan Asylums Board, comparatively few being treated in other institutions.
The exceptions in 1905 were a few cases of typhoid fever treated in general hospitals,
three or four cases of erysipelas removed to the Shoreditch Infirmary, and one or two of
scarlet fever and diphtheria taken to the Liverpool Road Fever Hospital. The infectious
diseases, cases of which are receivable into the hospitals of the Board, are smallpox,
scarlet fever, diphtheria, and typhoid fever. The number of cases of these
diseases certified was 1,003, and the number removed to hospital 960, which gives a
percentage of 95.6, as compared with 95 5 in 1904, 90.7 in 1903, 93.1 in 1902, 86.3
in 1901, 84.7 in 1900, 82.4 in 1899, 81.4 in 1893, 71.4 in 1897, 65 in 1896, 57 in 1895,
and 61 in 1894. Less than 5 per cent. of the cases referred to were treated at home
during 1905, and in several of these1 the patients were not removed because they were
too ill or because they had died, the nature of their illness being only recognised
shortly before death.
The results of the investigations made on behalf of the Metropolitan Asylums
Board by Dr. A. G. R. Cameron into the circumstances attending the occurrence of
RETURN CASES
of scarlet fever and diphtheria between July, 1901, and July, 1902, have been published
in a report which contains much valuable information in respect to such cases.
The observations of the medical superintendents of the Board's Fever Hospitals upon
the report accompany it, and as a result of their examination of the facts contained
therein, and of other sources of information known to them, they made the following
recommendations with respect to scarlet fever:—
(1.) "That, as far a:s practicable, every patient, as soon as he is in a fit
condition and without regard to age or sex, be transferred from the acute to the
- convalescent hospitals.
(2.) " That a discharge ward for scarlet fever be established at each hospital
into which the patient could be admitted and bathed not later than the day
before discharge.
(3.) " As we are of opinion that harm has resulted from the abrupt transition
from hospital to home conditions undergone by patients immediately on discharge,
we recommend that every endeavour should be made to- prepare patients for this
change, especially by providing facilities for their being in the open air. At some
of the hospitals this will involve the erection of verandahs or other forms of
shelter.
(4.) " That the following notice be printed and a copy sent with the notice
of discharge to the parent or guardian of every discharged scarlet fever patient
" Although every endeavour is made to send out patients free from infec"
tion, it is advisable, as an additional precaution, that they should, as far
" as possible, be kept away from other children, including attendance at