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Paralysis:—Post diphtheritic paralysis occurred in 76 of the
above cases. It was mild in 49 cases and severe in 27 cases.
Laryngeal diphtheria:—49 cases were admitted as laryngeal
diphtheria, but 23 of these proved to be wrongly diagnosed. Of
the 26 true cases, 12 required tracheotomy, and 5 of these died.
Broncho-pneumonia was a complication in 3 of the fatal cases;
the other 2 had extensive faucial involvement and died from
toxaemia. The fatality rate was 41.6 per cent, of the cases
operated on.
Fatal cases:—30 deaths occurred among the faucial cases;
all were children under 11 years of age. The average duration of
illness on admission was 4.3 days. Three cases were moribund on
admission and died within 24 hours. Of the others, 22 died at
varying periods during the first three weeks of illness and 5 died
from paralysis between the fifth and eighth weeks. The amount
of antitoxin administered to them averaged 163,000 units. The
fatality rate among the faucial cases was 5.07 per cent.
Treatment:—The amount of antitoxin administered to the
nasal and mild faucial cases averaged 14,000 units. The moderate
faucial cases received an average of 34,000 units. To the severe
faucial cases, the antitoxin was given partly by intravenous and
partly by intramuscular injection, and averaged 133,000 units.
Typhoid Fever.
One case, a girl aged 5 years, who was admitted as scarlet
fever, proved to be suffering from Paratyphoid B. She had a mild
attack and made an uneventful recovery. Of two other cases
which had been notified as scarlet fever, one suffered from acute
rheumatism, and the other from gastro-enteritis.
Measles.
The number of cases under treatment was 34. Of these, 27
were discharged, 3 died, and 4 remained under treatment at the
end of the year. The fatal cases were children under 2 years of
age, and were complicated by broncho-pneumonia. Though
moderately severe the majority of the cases escaped complications.
Whooping Cough.
During the year, 30 cases were admitted. Of these, 22 were
discharged, 2 died, and 6 remained under treatment at the end of
the year. The two fatal cases were children aged 13 months and
14 months respectively. The disease was also present as a complication
in 5 cases of diphtheria, one case of scarlet fever, and 2
cases of measles.
Pneumonia and Bronchitis.
The number of cases under treatment was 13. Of these, 3
suffered from lobar pneumonia, 3 from broncho-pneumonia, and
7 from bronchitis. Two cases proved fatal; both were children
under two years suffering from broncho-pneumonia.
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