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55
So that it will be seen, during 1906, 268 cases of Scarlet
Fever were taken into the Hospital, and of these in six instances
a further case developed in the house within three
weeks of the return of the first patient to its home, thus
giving a percentage of 2.2. For 1905, 156 cases of Scarlet
Fever were taken into the Hospital, and of these in seven
instances another case occurred in the house to which the
patient returned, giving a percentage of 4.4 for 1905. Thus
it will be seen that during the past year the precentage of
return cases is just half that of 1905. There seems to me
little doubt that if a patient gets any complications, and for
that reason has to remain in Hospital longer than the
ordinary time, the chances of that child infecting another
case on its return home are very much increased.
The use of the Convalescent Home was hoped to have
a favourable influence on these cases, and I believe it has.
Several cases after removal to the home developed slight
complications, which, if they had gone straight to their own
homes, would almost certainly have given rise to further
trouble. In one family a second case of Scarlet Fever was
notified two days before the first case left the Hospital, so
that in this case there was no question of Hospital influence.
In accordance with a contract made with the Woodford
Urban District Council to admit a certain number of their
infectious cases, the following number have been taken into
our Hospital:—
Scarlet Fever 39
Diphtheria 4
The following number remained in the Hospital at the;
end of 1906:—
Scarlet Fever 7