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9
Week ending Aug. 8th 2 cases
,, ,, ,, 29th 1 case
,, ,, Sept. 6th 3 cases
„ „ „ 13th 2 ,,
„ „ Oct. 17th 2 ,,
,, ,, ,, 24th 7 „
,, ,, ,, 31st 1 case
,, ,, Nov. 7th 3 cases
,, ,, ,, 14th 2 ,,
,, ,, ,, 21st 4 „
,, ,, ,, 28th 5 „
,, ,, Dec. 5th 7 ,,
„ „ „ 12th 7 „
,, ,, ,, 19th 4 „
,, ,, ,,26th 5 „
It is further manifest that the disease varied in intensity at
different periods of the epidemic. In the first week during which
deaths were registered, by far the greatest number of deaths took
place than occurred in any subsequent week, whereas it was
several weeks later before the epidemic was at its height as
regards the number of cases as recorded by the District Medical
Officers.
It appears to me that the lesson to be derived from the behaviour
of Influenza under its different manifestations is this : Negledt no
febrile disease suddenly attacking a patient, however slight it may
appear to be. Avoid exposure to change of temperature during the
progress of, and for some time after, an attack. Adopt such system
of isolation as can be arranged for the earliest cases which occur.
I invite attention to Table O* which details the cases dealt
with by your Inspectors during the year under the Notification
Act. Nearly half of the total cases were admitted into the Asylums
Board Hospitals.
Although this particular department of work shows a decline,
when contrasted with last year's return, it is not fair to assume
that the Notification Act is responsible for such diminished
number of cases, because there are seasons when certain diseases
are prone to become epidemic, and other years when such diseases
are comparatively absent. Scarlet Fever in 1890 appeared in
* Page 40. B