View report page

5
In nearly all cases either examinations were made of
houses, enquiries set on foot, or information was sought
and obtained as to where possibly contracted, means of
isolation, use of disinfectants, &c. In many cases the
disease was found to have been contracted elsewhere, Paris,
London, &c., and in several it spread, though such precautions
as were practicable in small houses were adopted.

*27 of these cases were due to an infected milk supply.
Diphtheria.
There were 23 cases this year in 19 houses with three
deaths, as against 16 cases and 1 death in 1892, and 21
cases with 10 deaths in 1891. In one house there were two
cases and in another four. Concerning this latter the first
case was resident in London and being taken ill came home,
when the disease was speedily developed and recognised.
Unfortunately, the proffered isolation at the hospital was
not taken advantage of, three other members of the family
took it and one died. Six cases in all went to the hospital,
of whom one died a few hours after admission. Another
notified case was that of a convalescing boy removed home
from school, and several were reported as being of very
slight nature.
In the majority of cases the cause could not be put
down to insanitary houses, though here and there defects
were discovered, but certainly in one case the surroundings
were most unsatisfactory, and in every probability contributed
the cause. Diphtheria is increasingly prevalent
throughout the whole country and according to returns just
issued " the deaths were last year more numerous than in
any previous year on record."