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6
Diphtheria. Ten cases were notified and 4
proved fatal. One case was notified in 1897 and
the patient died in January, 1898 of diphtheritic
paralysis. Nearly all the cases occurred either in the
beginning of the year or in November and December.
There was never more than one case in the same
house. The disease ran in several of the fatal cases
a very rapid course, before the most reliable treatment
with anti-diphtheritic serum could be adopted.
It sometimes happens that the Medical Practitioner
who is suddenly called to a case of diptheria, has
no supply of fresh serum; he has to write to London
for it and much valuable time is lost. It is of the
greatest importance in this mode of treatment,
that it should be commenced at the very earliest
moment. In order to avoid any delay I should advise
the Council to keep constantly a small and fresh
supply of the serum either at the Council's office,
or at the residence of the Medical Officer of Health,
or Inspector of Nuisances, where it would be available
at any time. The expense would be very
small, as Medical Practitioners have to pay the cost
price, and lives could be saved by such an arrangement.

Every room occupied by a diphtheric patient
was disinfected, white-washed and papered.
Enteric Fever. For many years only 1 to 3
cases occurred annually in our district, but in 1898