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The chief complications which occurred in the cases of
Diphtheria under treatment during the year were :—
Paralysis 44 Cervical Adenitis 121
Broncho-pneumonia 4 Otitis Media 1
Epistaxis 29 Gangrene 1
Myocarditis 127 Albuminuria 62
In some instances patients were admitted who were suffering
from some other disease in addition to Diphtheria, and the following
table gives particulars of these :—
Pertussis 1 Impetigo 6
Scarlet Fever 2 Endocarditis 11
Varicella 2 Enteritis 1
Morbilli 4 Marasmus 1
Chorea 1 Mastoid Abscess 1
Rubella 3 Scabies 2
Otitis Media 5
As has been noted in connection with Scarlet Fever, the
Diphtheria patients have to convalesce in the same ward as the
acute cases and, as a result, in many instances, their convalescence
and consequent discharge is considerably retarded. During the
summer months this drawback is somewhat negatived, but even
during this period the convalescent patients are subjected to an
infectious atmosphere during the night. The provision of a small
convalescent home in the country, to which carefully selected
cases might be sent, for a short period prior to returning home,
would be of immense value in ensuring a complete recovery.
15,072,000 units of anti-diphtheritic serum were administered
to patients during the year, the average dosage per head thus
being about 24,000 units.