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5
Scarlet
Fever.
The number of patients notified as suffering from this disease
was 106, all of whom recovered, a slight decrease from the previous
year of 113, and also below the average for the past ten years.
83 were removed to the hospital, equal to 78.3 per cent., the
attack rate being 2.2 per thousand of the population and the average
for the past ten years 3.09. If the four years during which the new
hospital has been opened are taken into account the attack rate is
2.49 for that period against 3.45 for the previous four years.
Table 3 shows the age distribution for the whole of the infectious
diseases notified, the Wards in which they occurred, and from which
they were removed to the hospital.
74 of the patients attended schools, viz.:—Queen's Road, 24;
Merton, 17; Effra Road, 11; Haydon's Road, 7; Holy Trinity. 5;
Dundonald, 3; Central, 1; Catholic, 1, and Private Schools, 5.
During the first four months there were about the average number
of cases, then each month a decrease, until in July there was only
one patient in the hospital; quite suddenly a serious increase
occurred, cases being reported from all parts of the District, and
every indication of what might develope into an epidemic. Fortunately
the iron hospital was available for the use of the convalescents,
thus relieving the pressure on the Wards of the permanent hospital,
and providing beds for the fresh cases. This, together with the
speedy removal to the hospital, and the prompt and thorough disinfection
of the bedding, clothing and rooms enabled the outbreak
to be kept well in hand, but, from appearances it will, I think, be
some time before we consider all danger over. The highest weekly
number of cases notified was in the first week of December, viz., 10.
The disease was of a very indefinite nature, the attacked in
many cases showing little, if any, signs of illness, and suspicion was
first aroused by the commencement of the peeiing of the hands and
feet. In 10 instances medical practitioners were not called in by the
parents until this stage had been reached. These mild attacks are
difficult to deal with, giving both the medical men and local authority
considerable trouble. Occasionally they were found to have been
mistaken by the parents for simple colds or sore throats, kept from
school for a few days but, after returning, found to be suffering from
the disease, having in the meantime spread the infection among the
scholars.