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of illness in the one led to recognition of the fact that the other had for
some time been suffering, having originally been infected by consuming
an inadequately-cooked duck's egg. In one of the other cases, the
illness had been preceded by the consumption of a duck's egg.
ERYSIPELAS
25 notifications of persons suffering from erysipelas were received
during the year, the rate of attack being slightly higher for the earlier
months. The sexes were almost equally affected. In all but six, the face
was the site attacked. Three patients were admitted to the isolation
hospital for treatment.
At one time, erysipelas was something of a scourge, being especially
damaging to patients in hospital. To-day it is, in general, a milder
complaint, and that and to-day's range of highly effective treatments
has resulted in the complaint being shorn of its terrors. Although it is
still a notifiable disease, it is not now one of any special public health
significance. The usual enquiries are made following receipt of notification
but almost the only point of interest is whether or not there is likely
to be a confinement in the house in which the patient is, or whether the
sufferer might have been in contact with an expectant mother. The
reason for this interest is that the organism causing erysipelas can result
in infection of the puerperal woman.
MENINGOCOCCAL INFECTION
Although during the year, 13 persons were notified as suffering
from cerebro-spinal meningitis, in only five instances was the diagnosis
confirmed. Two of these cases were a man and his wife who fell ill
within 5 days of each other. Three of those attacked were adults ;
two were babies, one aged 4 months and the other 12 months.
The cases were scattered throughout the district and occurred at different
times throughout the year. All were admitted to hospital, three to
general hospitals, the others to isolation hospitals.
ACUTE ANTERIOR POLIOMYELITIS
Although six persons had previously been admitted to hospital
suspected to be suffering from poliomyelitis, but in whom the diagnosis
was not confirmed, it was not until September that the first case was
recognised, this being a girl of 17 suffering from an abortive attack. A
few days later, another girl of 15 was admitted to hospital with what was
considered to have been an abortive attack. In October, a girl of 6
fell ill with a non-paralytic attack, and towards the end of the month a
boy of 12 was admitted to hospital with what proved to be a paralytic
attack, the shoulder muscles being slightly affected. In November there
were two cases, a child of 11 months suffering from a paralytic attack