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48
were made, followed by the exclusion of suspicious cases, but the
cases continued to crop up until the end of the summer term.
Apart from one case in October, the department remained free
from scarlet fever throughout the Christmas term until the last
two weeks of the term when six cases were notified.
Period of Residence of Patients Notified.
Of 474 patients notified as suffering from scarlet fever, eight
had lived in the district less than one month ; 14 had been here
over one but under three months, 24 over three but under six
months, and 42 over six but under 12 months. 45 had been here
over 12 but under 18 months, and 23 over 18 months but under
two years. 79 were in their third year of residence, 80 in their
fourth, 56 in their fifth and 123 had lived here over five years.
ENTERIC FEVER.
Six notifications of enteric fever were received during the
year, in only two of which, however, was the diagnosis confirmed.
One was a case of paratyphoid B infection in a girl of nine ; the
other patient, an adolescent, had apparently contracted the
infection abroad.
DYSENTERY.
13 cases of dysentery were notified. Most of these occurred
in the first few weeks of the year. They were all mild in character,
the infection in the case of those investigated being due to the Sonne
organism. These cases which occurred up to early March were
a continuance of the infection which had prevailed in the country
in the latter part of 1937 and which affected this district from
November.
In July an adult female fell ill with dysentery due to the
Flexner organism, the case subsequently proving fatal. In late
September three further mild cases were reported, the only one in
which the causative agent was known being due to the Sonne
organism.
ERYSIPELAS.
47 cases of erysipelas were notified during the year, the sexes
being almost equally affected.
The face was affected in about two-thirds of the cases, the
head and the legs being the other most common sites.
One half of the cases were treated at home, most of the
remaining patients being admitted to isolation hospitals.
SMALLPOX.
No cases of smallpox were notified. Visits were paid to the
homes of those, who, while on board ship, were contacts of this
infection.