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49
thought the child was suffering from mumps and did not bother
to call in a doctor. The type of diphtheria prevalent was a rather
severe faucial form, in which there was considerable swelling of the
neck. This swelling was mistaken for mumps by the parents.
At the same time, mumps was fairly prevalent in the district, which
rather confused the diagnosis, as far as the parents were concerned.
In one particular case a child was kept home from school as
she did not feel well. In a day or two she had a swelling of the
neck, and the parents assumed she was suffering from mumps. It
was not until the child was in extremis that a doctor was called.
He arrived at the house within half an hour and found the child
dead, and on examining the rest of the family he discovered that
the mother and seven other children were all suffering from
diphtheria.
In four other instances a similar sort of history was obtained,
though these cases were not as bad as the one just quoted.
The head teachers of the schools in the borough were asked to
impress on parents the necessity of obtaining medical aid for their
children if they were sent home from school because of illness.
Diphtheria Immunisation.
A diphtheria immunisation clinic was started in November.
At the end of December 27 children had attended for immunisation.
During the year 53 persons had been immunised by private
practitioners. Diphtheria prophylactic is supplied free of cost to
medical practitioners.
Typhoid Fever.
No case of typhoid fever was notified during the year.
Diarrhœa and Enteritis under two years of age.
Eight deaths were registered during the year. Six were of
males and two of females.
Encephalitis Lethargica.
No case was notified during the year, but one death registered.
This was a transferred death, that is, the patient died outside the
Borough but, being a Mitcham resident, the death is counted in
this district.
Cerebro-Spinal Fever.
One death was registered from this disease during the year.