Health Committee's report / City of Melbourne.

  • Melbourne (Vic.). Health Committee.
Date:
[1948]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Health Committee's report / City of Melbourne. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    15/32 (page 13)
    SCARLET FEVER The number and notifications received during the year was 40, which indicates a continuation in the decline of prevalence of this disease which has taken place in recent years. Of the 40 cases, 16 occurred in males and 24 in females. There were no deaths. TABLE I Year No. of Cases per Cases 100,000 Deaths Case Fatality Deaths per 100,000 1933-1937 (average) . 85 247 0.6 0.2 0.6 1938-1942 (average) . 233 91 0.2 0.2 0.2 1943 . . 285 287 2 0.7 2 1944 . . 229 228 — — — 1945 . . 76 75 1 1.3 1 1946 . . 91 86 — — — 1947 . . 59 59 — — — 1948 . . 40 39 — — — AGE INCIDENCE OF SCARLET FEVER TABLE 11 Age Males Females Totals Percentages 0-4 years . . 8 8 16 40.0 5-9 years . .. 5 6 11 27.5 10-14 years . ... 1 2 3 7.5 15 years and over . 2 8 10 25.0 16 24 40 The tendency of the incidence to shift from the older years to the pre¬ school years, which was noticed last year, is again evidenced from these figures. Swabs Fourteen swabs were taken from cases or contacts of the disease, of which eight showed presence of haemolytic streptococci belonging to one of the groups associated with the disease. Scarlet Fever in Institutions Only two cases of scarlet fever occurred in institutions, both, in children. Six cases were reported from Camp Pell. CEREBRO SPINAL MENINGITIS There was only one case of cerebro-spinal meningitis, in a boy aged two years, from Camp Pell. The response of this disease to sulphonamide and penicillin therapy has removed most of its terrors. There were no deaths. POLIOMYELITIS There was only one case of poliomyelitis reported, in a female aged 24 years. WHOOPING COUGH, MEASLES AND MUMPS These three infections were prevalent, especially during the latter part of the year, but there were no deaths. Immunisation against whooping cough was carried out during the first half of the year and 462 infants and pre-school children were treated. As far as could be ascertained, no treated child suffered at all severely during the subsequent prevalence of the disease. TUBERCULOSIS The figures in this section have been supplied by Miss Roberts, Health Visitor, who, acting in close liaison with the staff of the Central Tuberculosis Bureau of the State Department of Health, visits and keeps in close touch with all cases of tuberculosis in the City. New Cases The number of new cases notified during the year was 96, of whom 72 were males and 24 females. TABLE “A Male Female Total 1939 . . 68 56 124 1940 . . 116 54 170 1941 . . 87 63 150 1942 . . 103 57 160 1943 . . 101 50 151 1944 . . 88 61 149 1945 . . 42 26 68 1946 . . 45 42 87 1947 . . 36 35 71 1948 . . 72 24 96