View report page

Summary of the conditions treated. The number of
patients under treatment during 1937 was 1,916. This is an
increase of 229 over the number treated in the previous year, and
was due mainly to a rise in the prevalence of scarlet fever. There
was a slight fall in the number of fatal cases. These numbered
48, as compared with 54 in the previous year and 56 in 1935.
The admissions of scarlet fever cases rose to 797 from 522
in the previous year, and during part of the year all the cases
notified could not be admitted owing to lack of accommodation.
The type of disease showed no appreciable change; it continued
generally mild and the fatality rate remained low.
A decrease occurred during 1936 in both the prevalence and
the virulence of diphtheria as compared with the two previous
years; the admissions fell to 469 from 722 in 1935 and 777 in 1934,
and the deaths also decreased to 14 from 35 and 37 respectively.
During 1937 there was no appreciable change in the prevalence
or the virulence of the infection. The admissions showed an
increase of only 10 over the number in 1936, and there were 14
deaths, the same number as in 1936. The occurrence of streptococcal
infection in diphtheria cases was not quite so common
as in the previous two years. During 1937, the number of patients
who contracted scarlet fever was 17, and 24 others developed
tonsillitis during convalescence; of these, 9 developed otorrhoea.
During the year, 11 children who had been previously
immunized against the disease were admitted as suffering from
diphtheria. One of these proved to be a case of septic pharyngitis,
and one suffered from laryngitis. The remaining 9 cases
had definite clinical attacks of diphtheria with positive swabs. In
5 of these the attack was mild and in 4 it was moderately severe.
After the administration of a small dose of antitoxin the patients
all made a rapid and satisfactory recovery.
Ten cases of enteric fever were under treatment. All made
a satisfactory recovery.
As 1937 was an inter-epidemic year, the number of measles
cases treated was small. In the autumn and winter months
the admissions began to increase; the cases were mostly of a mild
type.
Whooping cough was more than ordinarily prevalent
during the year, and severe cases with complications were
admitted as accommodation became available. This disease
153