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63
CONTROL OF DISEASE
For the third year in succession, the figures
for practically every notifiable infectious disease
show a further reduction. The total for all diseases
in 1933 was 1,813, in 1934 it was 1,236, in 1935,
1,083, and in 1936, 935. Just as it was difficult to
account for the abnormally high figures for 1933, so
it is not easy to explain why those for last year
should be low. This is especially the case, having
regard to the bad weather conditions during the latter
part of the year in contradistinction to the brilliant
summer of 1935. The year was also less satisfactory
with regard to the non-notifiable diseases owing to
the occurrence of the biennial epidemic of measles
and a large number of cases of whooping cough.
Diphtheria.
There were 223 cases of diphtheria notified during
the year. The age grouping of the cases is given in
the accompanying table. All the cases were
removed to an isolation hospital.
4 deaths from this disease occurred during the
year, equivalent to a case mortality of 1.8 per cent.,
or general death rate of 0.04 per 1,000 of the population.
From information received from the hospitals
it would appear that in 37 cases (or 12.1 per
cent. of the total) the diagnosis of Diphtheria was not
confirmed. 26 cases developed in hospital 5
of these being hospital staff, while there were
10 "second cases" in families in which a case had
recently occurred.
Anti-diphtheritic serum is stocked at the Town
Hall and supplied free on the order of a doctor;
8,000 units were supplied during the year.