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The number of cases of Scarlet Fever and Diphtheria was
less than half the average number during the past five years and less
than any year since 1903.
Every case of Ophthalmia Neonatorum was visited by the
Health Visitors and assistance in nursing given where necessary. Four
of the cases were treated at hospitals, and in every instance recovery
took place.
The number of cases of Measles was considerably less than during
the preceding year, but there was a large increase in the number of
notifications of German Measles, these cases occurring especially
during March, April and May, As only four deaths were certified
as due to measles during the year the disease was evidently of a
mild type, but where a child has died from pneumonia following
measles it is not uncommon to find that pneumonia only is mentioned
in the death certificate and the original infectious disease omitted. It
is probable, therefore, that the mortality rate was somewhat higher.
On the whole, notification both of first and subsequent cases of
measles was satisfactory, but 61 cases were discovered which had not
been notified. In the majority of these the parents pleaded ignorance
of the regulations, but in several instances parents had sent notices to
the school teachers, under the impression that this was a sufficient
notification. In one case a medical practitioner was warned for having
omitted to notify.
Out of the total of 867 cases, 442 were first notified by doctors and
238 by parents, the remaining 87 being discovered through the school
teachers, school nurse or health visitors. First visits were paid by the