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14
PREVALENCE OF AND CONTROL OVER
INFECTIOUS AND OTHER DISEASES.
SMALLPOX.
No case of smallpox occurred during the year.
It was not found necessary to perform any vaccinations
under the Public Health (Smallpox Prevention)
Regulations of 1917.
SCARLET FEVER.
There was a distinct increase in the incidence of
scarlet fever, sixty-eight cases being notified, a rate of
1.75 per 1,000 population. The numbers of notifications of
scarlet fever have shown a tendency to fluctuate widely
over many years, a feature which is perhaps only to be
expected in an infection which shows itself under varied
guises. The type of illness remained mild on the whole
and there were no deaths. Fifty-nine cases were treated
in hospital and nine cases at home. In addition seven
suspected cases were admitted to hospital where it was
later decided that the illness was not scarlet fever.
A striking feature was that in the majority of
instances the notified case was the only member of the
family to suffer. In only two instances was there an
exception, one other member of the family being affected
in each case. All cases were fairly evenly distributed as
regards time and place. The highest proportion (over
50%) occurred amongst school children aged 5-10, and in
certain cases some grouping in schools was noticeable.
There was only one example of "return case" infection,
i.e., a second case occurring in a house within twentyeight
days of the return of a scarlet fever patient from
hospital.
DIPHTHERIA.
The diphtheria incidence was 0.56 per 1,000 population.
This figure has remained approximately the same
for the past four years. Twenty-two cases were notified
and, with the exception of one, all were treated in