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1890 when 8 were notified, in 1891 there were 3 also, in
1892 only 4, but in 1893 no less than 94. These were
distributed as follows :—
January, 4. April, 1. July, 16. October, 23.
February, 2. May, 2. August, 8. November, 8.
March, 0. June, 11. September, 12. December, 7.
Out of this large number only three cases terminated fatally,
being a case of mortality of 3.2 per cent. nearly; 35
patients were removed to the Isolation Hospital. The chief
characteristic of this epidemic has been its mildness, a very
large number having scarcely ailed at all, and it is to this
feature that its extensive dissemination is probably due.
Personally I met with several cases where the disease had
been unrecognised with the result that children were found
in the streets and elsewhere desquamating freely, and it is
morally certain that there were many other such cases
undiscovered going about in apparently perfect health but
highly infectious. On 18th May, 52G children al; St. Mark's
Schools were inspected and one boy was found peeling.
He was isolated until the process was terminated ; the
schools were closed for 3½ weeks and the various rooms
very thoroughly disinfected.
Similarly, on September 4th, owing to the succession
of cases in July and August, the Christ Church Schools
were closed from September 4th to October 2nd, with the
hope that the spread of infection might be thereby
influenced.
Early in July in consequence of a day boarder being
notified with the disease, the children in a private school
were inspected by the school medical attendant and myself
and cases of scarlatina were found that had not been recognised
and for whom no medical advice had been sought, nor
adequate precautions taken to prevent the SDread of infection.
Consequent upon this and the refusal to break up the
school, cases occurred in succession until eight at least were
under treatment.