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Of those cases clinically diphtheria 49 were taucial and 3 nasal.
Of the carriers 2 were faucial, 2 nasal, and 1 aural.
Period of stay.—The average length of stay in hospital of all
cases discharged during the year was 50.3 days; of clinically
diphtheria cases 60.2; of carriers 19.8; and of the non-diphtheritic
cases 9.3 days.
Deaths.—Number of deaths, 7 (one due to broncho-pneumonia).
Case mortality of diphtheria cases, 11.5 per cent.
The days of disease on which the six fatal cases were admitted
were the 3rd in three, the 4th in two, and the 5th in one.
Complications.—Amongst those discharged during the year the
following complications occurred:—Paralyses, 10, comprising
palatal 9 and 1 of the extrinsic eye muscles ; albuminuria 15 ;
otorrhœa 4; and myocarditis 2.
Cross Infection.—One case contracted scarlet fever.
Double Infection.—One patient was incubating chicken-pox
on admission.
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 7th 7
Number of cases 1 9 14 10 10 3 2 -
Serum Administration.—The average amount of serum used
on faucial cases was 34,171 units. In 45 per cent. some form of
serum sickness occurred.
Operations.—No operations were performed.
Bacteriological Examination.—2,315 swabs were examined for
the Klebs-Loeffler bacillus. Of the 746 sent in by general medical
practitioners, 45 were positive. Of the 470 swabs from patients in
the diphtheria wards, 33 were positive. Of the 699 swabs from
patients admitted to hospital suffering from other diseases, 8 were
positive.
Immunization.—Of the 70 patients admitted to the diphtheria
wards, 5 gave a history of having been immunized against
diphtheria. Two of these were carriers, 1 proved to be laryngitis
stridula, and of the remaining 2 cases of clinical diphtheria, 1
had received the final injection three days before admission, while
the other made a good recovery from a severe attack. This latter
case had never been Schick tested after completion of immunization.