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43
Scarlet Fever.
The number of cases notified during the year was 174, this
being 69 more than last year. One hundred and sixty-five cases
were removed to hospital. No deaths were registered from this
disease during the year.
Ten of the cases were return cases. The interval between the
return home of the patient and the illness of the contact varied
from 5 to 10 days. In one other instance a patient had been home
from hospital 14 weeks before the second case occurred, but it is
doubtful whether this was a genuine return case, or whether the
infection came from another source.
Diphtheria.
Thirty-two cases of diphtheria were notified during the year.
Twenty-five cases were removed to hospital.
One death was registered from this disease.
Arrangements have been made by the Council for the
examination, free of charge, of swabs taken from suspected cases
of diphtheria, and during the year 284 such examinations have
been made. Anti-toxin is also issued free of charge to practitioners
who may require it.
Typhoid Fever.
Three cases of typhoid fever were notified during the year.
Three cases removed to hospital.
No deaths were registered.
Diarrhœa and Enteritis under two years of age.
Ten deaths from diarrhoea and enteritis under two years of age
were registered. The spell of very hot weather during the summer
was partly responsible for this.
An interesting fact is that over 50 per cent. of the patients who
died had a family history of tuberculosis. The numbers are too
small to say whether this is a significant fact or merely coincidence.
It may be that the child with a family history of tuberculosis is not
only less resistant to tuberculosis but also to other infective conditions
as well,