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was reported to your Committee, but legal proceedings were not
deemed to be advisable and a written caution was sent. A notice
was later exhibited in the local press drawing attention to the
penalties for failure to give information.
A total of 879 visits was made by the Medical Staff and 3,690 by
the Sanitary Staff.
HOSPITAL TREATMENT OF SMALLPOX.
Sixty-seven cases of Smallpox were admitted for Isolation and
treatment, and 5 further cases for observation—the diagnosis not
being confirmed in the latter. All the observation cases were
vaccinated either before or immediately after admission.
The average stay in Hospital was 20.2 days for actual cases,
10.2 days for observation cases, and 19.3 days for all cases.
Although several cases showed a semi-confluent eruption, only
one case caused any anxiety. This patient, on his 16th day in
Hospital, developed Appendicitis and one of the small huts was
hastily improvised as an operating theatre. The appendix, on
examination after removal, showed a small area of early inflammation
due to a single thread worm. The patient made an uneventful
recovery.
The only complication of note was conjunctivitis, of which
13 cases occurred. Some were severe but responded to treatment
and there was no apparent impairment of vision.
The Hospital was closed for two hours on 23rd March; for 31 days
from 23rd May; for 24 days from 4th September, and for two days
from 24th December.
The longer periods of closure were utilised for renovation
and redecoration, for which special provision, amounting to £100,
was made.
The approximate cost of Smallpox treatment during the calendar
year was estimated to be £1,476.
Grateful acknowledgment must again be made to the Matron
and the Nursing Staff for the smooth and efficient working of the
Hospital.
Vaccination.—Mr. E. Sharp, Vaccination Officer for the area,
has furnished the following return for 1931:—
Births Successfully Unsusceptible. Exemptions. Deaths before
Registered. Vaccinated. Vaccinated or
exempted.
1,637 274 1 932 51
In addition to the above, 386 primary and 152 revaccinations
were recorded.