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There were four deaths from diphtheria ; one, aged 16 months, was
admitted on the eighth day of the disease in a moribund condition and died
six hours later ; one, aged 21 months, was admitted on the fifth day of the
disease and died two days later after tracheotomy ; one, aged 3 years, was
admitted on the fifth day of the disease and died two days later ; one, aged
6 years, was admitted on the fourth day of the disease and died five days later
from haemorrhagic diphtheria.
In all, 1,974,000 units of antitoxin were given to 58 cases of diphtheria,
the highest dosage being 104,000 and the average being 34,000. In three cases
antitoxin was given intravenously as well as intramuscularly, and in the rest
it was given only intramuscularly.
It will be obvious from the foregoing data that many of the cases were
extremely severe. This was mainly due to the type of disease being more toxic,
and partly due to the larger proportion of children under 5 (30 per cent. of the
cases, compared with only 18 per cent. in 1934). Often only a few hours
elapsed before symptoms of profound poisoning showed themselves in the severe
cases.
Other Diseases.
Twelve patients admitted as scarlet fever or diphtheria were subsequently
diagnosed as suffering from other diseases. These were as follows
Diseases notified as scarlet fever
Urticaria 1
Sudaminal eruption 1
Measles 1
Diseases notified as diphtheria:
Acute tonsillitis 5
Laryngitis 2
Rhinitis 1
Pharyngitis and rhinitis 1
Stay in Hospital.
The average stay in hospital was as follows:—
Scarlet fever: All cases 41.9 days
Patients remaining over 56 days 84.4 days
Patients remaining under 56 days 36.8 days
Diphtheria: All cases 55.6 days
Patients remaining over 56 days 85.2 days
Patients remaining under 56 days 42.7 days
Other diseases: All cases 13.0 days
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