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48
ISOLATION HOSPITAL.
Diphtheria.— Throughout the year the beds provided were
sufficient for the needs of the district.
The greatest number of admissions to the Hospital was in February
and October, and the least in May and July, the number of admissions
being in proportion to the number of notifications.
No pressure was exercised to effect the removal of patients to the
Sanatorium, and in no case was there any necessity.
Parents are now only too glad to avail themselves of the advantages
offered, and their estimate of Hospital treatment is in marked contrast
to the early days of the Sanatorium's existence.
Four of the cases entering as Diphtheria proved to be Scarlet Fever,
but were not the cause of any infection to others. On their reception
they were placed in cubicles.
Of the cases sent into Hospital nearly 80 per cent. failed to give
bacterioscopic confirmation of the original diagnoses.
While the notification and removal of these were doubtless in the
interests of the community, a more free use of methods of diagnosis
other than clinical is to be desired.
It would repay your Authority to allow a fixed sum for injections to
be performed on persons of necessitous circumstances suspected of
Diphtheria, if the attending practitioner would at the same time transmit
a provisional certificate and have a Bacteriological diagnosis made. If
the suspect proved to have present in the throat the specific bacilli he
would then be removed to hospital; failing this, the patient could be
kept at home under observation.
In this way the expense of removal and maintenance of a large
number would be avoided.
Scarlet Fever.— The accommodation provided was barely
sufficient in the most favourable months; in others, especially in
September, October and November, the numbers desiring removal
could not be accommodated.