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On page 24 will be seen the number of cases notified each year since
1889, when notification became compulsory. The numbers varied from
597 in 1893 to 125 in 1891. The Scarlet Fever sickness rate per 1,000
of the population has varied from 2 in 1890 to 11 in 1893. The years
following 1893 till 1902 varied between 4 and 7 per 1.000 or a mean of
4'8. Assuming four to be the normal rate, we may expect to have
yearly, for some time, 450 cases to deal with.
Six deaths resulted from the disease compared with 13 deaths in
1901. Generally the cases were of a very mild character, and those of
greatest severity went to the Sanatorium. A number of the cases were
complicated with Diphtheria, and in the Report of the Sanatorium
will be found further details.
The death-rate from Scarlet Fever was "06, nearly, or half what it was
in 1901, and less than half of what it was in England and Wales. The
case rate was 1.07 persons dying in every 100 attacked, or half what it
was in the previous year. Four per 1,000 is a "permissible" mortality,
seven times greater than this district.
Of the six deaths, two were under five years and 187 of the 560 cases
notified were of persons under five years of age.
The plans prepared and submitted to the Local Government Board
for a further 24 bed Block, with additions to the Administrative Block,
a Discharge Block, Ambulance Station and Cottages for the Engineer
and Gasmaker, were sent back for further consideration, and are still
the subject of anxious thought with your Council.
I feel sure the increased accommodation is urgently needed and that
the difficulty of economy of construction will be got over.
The incidence of Scarlatina in the various wards will be seen on
page 23, Table XIII.
DIPHTHERIA AND MEMBRANOUS CROUP.
One hundred and forty-two cases of Diphtheria and eight cases of
Membranous Croup were notified during the year; compared with the
previous year, we have had 180 fewer cases of Diphtheria and three
cases fewer of Membranous Croup.
The sickness rate for these diseases for the year was 1.4 per 1,000 of
the population compared with 3.4 in 1901, 5.6 in 1900 and the mean of
3.25 for the years 1890-1901 inclusive.
Of the 150 cases notified, 17 deaths resulted from Diphtheria and
four from Croup, ten of the 17 deaths from Diphtheria occurred at the
Sanatorium.