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Scarlet Fever.—Ninety-two patients were admitted to hospital
suffering from scarlet fever during the year, together with
one patient who was found to be suffering from scarlet fever
and chicken pox.
The following complications were noted amongst the cases
under treatment:—
Rhinitis 1
Acute Otitis Media 3
Mastoiditis 1
Adenitis 4
Acute Haemorrhagic Nephritis 2
Rheumatism 9
Whitlows 1
The most frequent complication noted was rheumatism. In
the majority of cases the rheumatism was slight, and no cardiac
complications occurred.
One child suffering from suppurative adenitis required
three operations before the condition cleared up.
Paracentesis was performed when necessary. In all
patients with ear complications the discharge had ceased before
they left hospital, and hi 110 case had any apparent deafness
resulted.
Two patients developed acute haemorrhagic nephritis which
necessitated a prolonged stay in hospital before complete
recovery had taken place.
As in previous years, anti-scarlatinal serum was used fairly
extensively. Nearly all patients, except those who had the
disease in a mild form, received an injection of serum on admission.
In most of the cases sulphonamidc preparations were also
given, either in conjunction with anti-scarlatinal serum or
alone. The results were very gratifying. In a few cases sulphhsemoglobinaemia
developed. These symptoms, however, were
mild, and rapidly passed off when the sulphonamide preparations
were discontinued.
There were no deaths from scarlet fever. Two "return"
cases occurred. These amounted to 2.19% of the patients
discharged.
Diphtheria.—Eighty-eight patients were admitted as cases
of diphtheria. This was an increase of eighteen on the figure
for 1936. Of the eighty-eight admissions, only fifty-seven proved
to be suffering from true clinical diphtheria. These latter
cases included four children with laryngeal diphtheria. Twelve
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