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48
DIPHTHERIA.
84 cases were admitted during; the year. Three of these
were fatal. The disease was usually of a mild type, with
occasional cases of much severity. Tracheotomy for
laryngeal obstruction was performed in five cases, with two
fatal results. One other case was moribund on admission,
and died before tracheotomy could be performed.
SCARLET FEVER.
As mentioned before, the type of disease admitted was
mild. Only one case had a fatal issue, and this was due to
Tuberculous Meningitis, a totally different disease probably
contracted outside the hospital.
Remarkably few complications of serious nature supervened
on the disease. In one case necrosis of a finger bone
occurred, and had to be treated by amputation. An outbreak
of Measles in one of the Scarlet Fever wards caused great
inconvenience. The most important complication from the
point of view of monetary expenditure is nasal discharge.
This often entails the patients stopping in hospital for a long
period. The practice of keeping these cases in hospital until
cured is justified by experience, it being found that the danger
of infection to others lasts in these cases for a considerable
period.
ENTERIC FEVER.
One case only was admitted during the year. This was
a typical case of moderate severity, and calls for no comment.
ERYSIPELAS.
Two cases were admitted during the year. In each case
the home circumstances were such that adequate attention
could not be received.