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Of the total 527 notifications, 467 were under 15 years of age; 141
of these being under 5 years. Seven of the fourteen deaths occurred
in children under 5 years, and 5 of the 14 between 5 and 15 years. We
thus have a case death-rate of nearly 5 per cent. under 5 years and 1.5
per cent. between 5 and 15. The necessity of protecting the very
young is quite obvious from these figures.
DIPHTHERIA AND MEMBRANOUS CROUP.
One hundred and seventy-seven cases of Diphtheria and thirteen of
Membranous Croup were notified during the year, as compared with 142
and 8 in 1903.
The sickness rate for this disease with two names was 1.59; a rate,
although higher than 1903, well below any previous year, excepting 1896.
Twenty-seven deaths resulted from Diphtheria and two from Croup.
Of these sixteen took place at the Sanatorium—two patients dying
within a few hours of admission.
The deaths represent a mortality rate of .26 per 1,000 of the population
and a case rate of over 15 per 100 attacked; in other words, two die
of every thirteen contracting the disease. If we assume that 57 of the 120
cases sent to the Sanatorium were not Diphtheria, as the bacteriological
examination proved negative, and that a like proportion of those
remaining at home would prove negative on examination, we come to
the conclusion that about 87 cases of Diphtheria—I mean Diphtheria
bacteriologically as well as clinically—caused 27 deaths, or one in
every three who contract Diphtheria dies.
That Diphtheria is a truly dangerous infectious disease is well recognised,
and that every case should go to Hospital, in the interests of the
community, is quite obvious. It is regrettable that such is not so,
considering that for every three cases cf preventable infection, one life is
spared. The co-operation of the medical practitioners of your district
would soon bring about this change, once patients would realize that it
is impossible for the doctor to be always right in his diagnosis. Joined
to this, when the extensions at the Hospital are completed, parents will
have the assurance that every doubtful case will be treated as nondiphtheritic
until sufficient time proves the contrary. For want of room
and suitable isolation the work at the Sanatorium has been greatly
hampered, and our practice of sending home within a short time of
admittance patients who were non-diphtheritic, has caused medical men
to be chary and parents sceptical.
All these drawbacks to good work and efficiency in the prevention of
Diphtheria spreading, I hope to see removed, with increased and better
accommodation.