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Department when a proper apparatus for the. purpose
will be supplied. This offer has not hitherto been
taken advantage of to the extent that it might be,
and I am now making arrangements whereby this
very necessary and most efficient aid to diagnosis
shall be more available.
Measles.—There were varieties of this illness
at intervals throughout the year but mostly of a
favourable type, though one fatal case was registered.
Epidemic Influenza.—Was not so prevalent or
so fatal as in some former years and the character
has varied considerably, being as a rule milder and
not of so long duration. One death only was
certified as due to it.
Whooping Cough.—There were three deaths
attributable to this and, as in nearly all such cases,
were due to some complication. If the disease
occurs during the winter months then the liability to
contract pneumonia or bronchial affections is so
much the greater, the convalescence being so protracted
and the necessity for continued care and
watchfulness not being so obvious as in the earlier
stages of the illness.
Enteric Fever.—The one death that appears
in the returns is that of a case that was notified on
28th December, 1903, and was referred to in the
report for that year, the cause was suspected to be
from eating oysters and the patient died early in
1904. For the year that is past four cases were
notified, two being inmates of a house on Surbiton
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