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Of those cases clinically diphtheria 49 were faucial and 10 nasal.
Of the carriers 4 were faucial and 5 nasal.
Period of stay.— The average length of stay in hospital of all cases
was 30.2 days; of clinically diphtheria cases 40.6; of carriers 9.6
and of those suffering from tonsillitis 9.4 days.
Deaths.— Number of deaths, 4.
Case mortality, 6.8 per cent.
The days of disease on which these patients were admitted
were the 3rd, the 4th, the 7th and the 15th.
Complications:— Paralyses, 10, comprising palatal 9 and 1 of the
extrinsic eye muscles; albuminuria 2; otorrœha 3; rhinorrhœa 2;
and adenitis 3.
Cross Infection.—4 cases contracted secondary infections while in
hospital, the added infection being measles in one and scarlet
fever in three.
Double Infection.— One patient was suffering from scarlet fever and
diphtheria on admission, while another was incubating measles.
Day of Disease on Admission.— The following summarizes the
information with regard to the duration of illness at the time of
admission of the 49 cases of faucial diphtheria:—
Over
Day. 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 1th 7
Number of cases - 9 5 19 6 3 2 5
Serum Administration.— The average amount of serum used per
case was 25,588 units.
Operations.— No operations were performed.
Bacteriological Examination.—1,963 swabs were examined for the
Klebs-Loeffler bacillus. Of the 807 sent in by general medical
practitioners, 61 were positive. Of the 480 swabs from patients in
the diphtheria wards, 60 were positive. Of the 676 swabs from
patients admitted to hospital suffering from other diseases, 3 were
positive.
Immunization.— None of the patients suffering from diphtheria had
been immunized against this infection.
Scarlet Fever.
Admissions:—
Number admitted with diagnosis of scarlet fever 316
Number suffering from scarlet fever 290
Number in whom diagnosis not confirmed 26
Of these 26 cases, four suffered from an erythema, 15 from
acute tonsillitis, three from measles, one each from whooping cough,
bronchitis, peritonsillar abscess, and otitis media.