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78
In a recent investigation of 808 cases in a large, well-equipped
hospital with modern facilities for isolation and treatment, Brown
and Allison found that 243 patients (i.e., 30 per cent.) showed
complications during their stay in hospital. It is of interest to
compare that rate with the complication incidence rate of a small
temporary isolation hospital in which the total accommodation and
facilities for isolation are inadequate (e.g., of the total accommodation,
only 5.8 per cent. is in the form of separate cubicles). During
1934 the incidence of scarlet fever in Leyton was very high and, as
measles and diphtheria were both prevalent, the available number
of hospital beds was insufficient to meet the demand. Even after
the most rigorous selection of cases for admission, the number of
patients in hospital was in excess of the standard accommodation
during the whole year. A detailed analysis of the incidence of
complications during that year revealed that, of 387 scarlet fever
patients treated in hospital, as many as 199 (i.e., 51.4 per cent.)
suffered from one or more of the recognised complications during
their stay in hospital.
In 1934 overcrowded conditions occurred in the scarlet fever
wards during the whole year with the exception of the months of
May and September. In 1935 overcrowding occurred during the
periods January to March, late May and early June, and midOctober
to the end of December. In view of the apparent correlation
between overcrowding and high incidence rate of complications
steps were taken to ensure that (from 1st January, 1936)
the standard bed space of 12 linear feet was maintained. Since
1st January, 1936, therefore, no overcrowding of patients has
occurred.
The following figures show the percentage incidence rate of
complications during a period of four years.