View report page

52
the present routine to be followed, a charge be made, namely, for fumigation
of a room 7s. 6d., for stoving of bedding 10s. for the first load, and
5s. for each subsequent load ; (c) that disinfectants be supplied free on
application to householders where an infectious disease has occurred.
In March, 1937, it was decided these facilities be modified so that terminal
fumigation and stoving of articles be provided free in the case of open
tuberculosis and of scabies.
DIPHTHERIA.
Incidence.
47 notifications were received during the year of cases occurring
amongst the civilian population. In many instances the patient was
suffering from some other condition, mostly tonsillitis. The corrected
figure of 29 is a rate per 1,000 population of 0.15 compared with the
national rate of 0.46. The local rates for the years 1934 to 1944 ranged
from 0.08 to 0.60.
In three instances the patient was not suffering from a clinical attack
of diphtheria, but was sent into hospital having a positive swab result.
One patient was suffering from laryngeal diphtheria.
Of the cases proved to be diphtheria, 23 per cent. were in children
under five years and 55 per cent. of ages 5 to 15.
Places of Treatment.
Most of the patients were admitted to the local isolation hospitals
for treatment, only one remaining at home. During the period of staffing
difficulties when cases of diphtheria were sent elsewhere, five patients
were admitted to other isolation hospitals. The one laryngeal case was
admitted to a general hospital.
Deaths.
Four cases proved fatal. The first was the laryngeal case, who died
shortly after admission to a general hospital. The next was a boy of 10
admitted on what was apparently the second day of illness and who died
shortly after admission. A few weeks later a boy of 6 living in the same
road, but who had apparently had no contact with the other child was
admitted, again apparently on the second day of illness, and died two
days after admission. The last case was a girl of 6 who, though swab
results showed the presence of K.L.B. on a clean throat, was admitted on
the seventh day of pneumonia. She died a few hours after her admission.
The case fatality rate was 13 per cent. ; the mortality rate per 1,000
population 0 02, the same figure as that for the country as a whole.
Diphtheria Immunisation.
At their meeting on January 1st, 1935, the Council adopted the
recommendation of the Public Health Committee at their December
meeting that a sum not exceeding £200 be allocated for the period ending
March 31st, 1935, to provide facilities for residents in the district whose
annual income does not exceed £250 to receive immunising treatment
against diphtheria, this sum to provide for payment of a fee of 10s. in