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44
DAILY AVERAGE.
The average number of Patients in Hospital during each Month was
as follows
January 109
February 114
March 100
April 102
May 104
June 87
July 93
August 81
September 89
October 115
November 122
December 128
Diphtheria.—Two hundred and twenty cases were admitted during
the year, compared with 273 in 1919, 180 in 1918, 263 in 1917, and
280 in 1916.
Of those admitted, twelve had urgent laryngeal symptoms, and four
had tracheotomy performed. One of the cases died on admittance
before an operation could be undertaken.
Of those operated on two recovered, one died shortly after operation,
the other dying from Heart Failure two weeks subsequently.
The total deaths were seventeen, excluding the deaths mentioned, and
the case mortality-rate was 7.2 per 100 for all admitted—excluding the
cases of tracheotomy 6.3.
A number of those admitted had been ill for several days before a
doctor was called in, and their chances of recovery by anti-toxin treatment
was small. Added to this a good proportion of the patients had
the disease in a severe form, as evidenced by the complications which
followed.
Fourteen patients developed Otorrhoea, 19 had severe Cardiac trouble,
13 developed post Diphtheritic Paralysis, 5 Nephritis, 7 had concurrent
affections, such as Bronchitis or Pneumonia, 4 had Whooping Cough
and 14 Scarlatina. All the latter had typical Diphtheria bacilli present
on admittance followed by rash within 24 to 48 hours and subsequent
desquamation.
Scarlet Fever.—The number admitted was 228, compared with
205 in 1919, 100 in 1918, 136 in 1917, and 246 in 1916.
Invariably the cases admitted into Hospital are of a severer type than
those nursed at home, but fortunately we had no deaths.
The type of the disease in 1920 was generally mild, more particularly
in the later months of the year, when the disease was in epidemic form
throughout London and its suburbs.
During that period a larger portion than usual of mixed infections
were noticed, and some of the cases admitted presented considerable