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SCARLET FEVER.
This disease continues mild in character and complications and
sequelae are less prevalent.
The total number of cases notified (47) compares very favourably
with last year (65). This reduction probably reflects a better state of
general health amongst the young community as a whole as well as
absence of marked seasonal variation in climatic conditions.
The greater prevalence was in May and June, months which
usually show a marked increase in incidence, but which in 1938, being
much colder than in previous years, showed only a slight rise in notified
cases.
No deaths were recorded from Scarlet Fever during the year.
DIPHTHERIA.
This disease showed a marked increase (17 cases) as compared
with the abnormally low incidence (4 cases) of the previous year.
These yearly variations in incidence with the possibility of the
occurrence of severe types of the disease emphasize the importance of
protecting the community at an early age by the modern methods of
immunisation.
Fifteen cases were treated in Hospital and 2 at home, all of whom
recovered.
ENTERIC FEVER.
No cases of this disease occurred in the district and no notifications
were received concerning Wallington residents from other
districts.
ERYSIPELAS.
Eight cases of this disease were notified in 1938 as compared with
3 in 1937.
Four cases were treated in the local Isolation Hospital.
One death was recorded in an unnotified case treated in an institution
outside the district, particulars only being obtained by inward
transfer of the death registration.
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