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72
the Local Government Board suggest that Hospital beds to the
number of 1 per 5,000 of population, in addition to the Poor Law
Beds, should be provided for the purpose of observation, treatment,
education and isolation, besides the same number in another
sanatorium.
"In my opinion the isolation of advanced cases is absolutely
essential in attempting to stamp out Consumption. In most cases
of Pulmonary Tuberculosis the disease is not recognised until the
disease is far advanced, and it is these cases that should be isolated
to prevent spread of infection to other persons.
"I frequently have application for admission to Hospital from
persons in an advanced stage of the disease who are unable to
work, and the poverty and suffering caused becomes most distressing.
In most cases they absolutely refuse to go into the
Poor Law Infirmary, and become a danger to the community.
Some of these cases have been sent away to a distant sanatorium,
and at the end of their allotted time at the Institution it has been
difficult to get them home again. Last week I had an application
for the use of the Motor Ambulance to fetch a patient from a
sanatorium about 40 miles away who was too ill to travel otherwise.
It is for such cases that local beds should be provided,
where they are close to their friends for visitations."
SCARLET FEVER.
494 cases were treated during the year. 448 cases were
admitted, and these, with 46 remaining in the Hospital from the
previous year, made a total of 494 treated.
There were only three deaths, which gives the low death-rate
from this disease as 0.6.
Those cases which proved fatal had complications of BronchoPneumonia.
Other complications were chiefly those of Enlarged Glands,
Otorrhæa, and one child required operation for Mastoid disease.
The patients are detained in the Hospital for a minimum
period of six weeks.
All patients having nose or ear discharge are kept until some
days have elapsed after the last signs of discharge, as there is
no doubt it is to these cases that the few return cases we have