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45
During the past year there were 41 cases of Otitis Media brought
to light at routine inspections and 110 at special inspections.
In all 246 cases were treated under the Authority's Scheme by
means of irrigation, etc.; an ineffectual method, I regret to say,
for a number of the old standing cases, as owing to the intricate
anatomy of the middle ear it is impossible to get at the seat of the
trouble by this means.
Diphtheritic inflammation of the ear is said to be rare, but,
during 1924, out of the 246 cases treated, 36 or nearly 15 per cent,
were found to contain Klebs Loffler Bacillus. These cases, instead
of being seen only bi-weekly, are brought up daily for treatment
by the Infectious Disease Nurse.
A few cases developed Mastoid tenderness, the majority of which
subsided rapidly with fomentations, it being found necessary only
to refer one for operation, which was performed at the local Hospital.
Deafness can arise in many ways and may be present in one or
both ears, and may vary from slight deficiency to complete loss of
hearing. Happily, of the 61 cases treated, 60 belonged to the
former type, being due either to a plug of Cerumen, Polypus, foreign
body or Eustachean Catarrh or obstruction, and were therefore
remediable.
Only one case of Labyrinthine deafness following Influenza was
met with, and no case consequent to any other of the fevers or
middle ear disease was detected.

The above table showing the outbreak of Measles and Whooping
Cough—the former occurring in the first half of the year, the fatter