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55
past year. The matron, with the assistance of the staff,
has deserved well of the Council, and I am sure that body
must thoroughly appreciate the efforts put forth on behalf
of those members of the community intrusted to her care.
SCARLET FEVER.
The type of the cases admitted during 1912 has been by
no means severe, and only one death was recorded. This
was due to Scarlet Fever and Pneumonia.
Of the 243 patients discharged from the Hospital during
1912 in six instances another patient was notified within
three weeks of the first case returning home. Of course,
it by no means follows that the returning convalescent was
the cause of the infection of the other case. In one instance
it seemed as though both were infected from the same
source, a mild unrecognised case in the same family. In
another, the child on leaving the Hospital "caught cold,"
with a result that there was a good deal of nasal discharge
which may have had something to do with causing the
trouble.
During the year an open-air shelter for 3 or 4 beds
has been provided at the southern end of one of the Scarlet
Fever wards where patients suffering from discharges have
been nursed with beneficial results. One Tubercular Scarlet
Fever child developed Pleurisy. Dr. Oates performed a
resection of a rib and drained the pleural cavity, and this
patient was nursed outside in December with a markedly
satisfactory result.
DIPHTHERIA.
Among these patients admitted during 1912 there were
four deaths. The prognosis as a rule depends on the early
admission so that the sooner they are admitted the earlier