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40
It will be noticed that the percentage of cases removed to Hospital
from the various Wards was as follows:—
St. James Street High Street. Hoe Street. Wood Street.
Northern.
1904 50 86 50 37 30
1903 59 63 53 67 45
Neglect to remove from the Northern Ward might be interpreted from
these figures, but the real explanation is that the Northern Ward
was most affected towards the end of the year when the Sanatorium
could not accommodate those willing to go.
The incidence of the disease was 4.8 per 1,000, and is above the
mean, but well below some previous years.
Although the disease was very prevalent, only fourteen deaths
resulted ; eight of these taking place' at the Sanatorium.
The case mortality—the proportion of deaths to number attacked—
was 2 6 per cent., as compared with 2 in 1903; and the mean annual
death-rate per 1,000 of the population was 12.
Seven of the deaths were in children under 5 years of age, and, as
I have pointed out in previous reports, the longer we can prevent our
children from contracting this disease, the less likely they are to get it,
with a more favourable termination.
The Northern and Wood Street Wards had the greatest number
of cases in proportion to the population.
Scarlatina, when occurring in a mild form, as has been the case
for several years, is most difficult to control. Many parents whose
children suffer in this way are the worst offenders in spreading Scarlatina,
and take no adequate precautions except the patient is very ill, and
they never realize what ought to be done except when "the fever" is in
a neighbour's house. Some time since I visited a child peeling, who had
kept to school the whole time of her illness. and the mother could not
see why the child should lose its medal by staying away from school.
She was not ill, and strange to say, only two cases could in any way be
traced to her influence.
That there are times when children are very and little susceptible to
Scarlatina, and that mild cases are responsible for much spreading, is
undoubted. But judging by the death-rate, now .12 compared with 96
in 1870, one wonders if the expense incurred in the isolation of Scarlatina
is justified or necessary, considering how little is done for Measles
prevention with four times the death-rate.