INFECTIOUS DISEASES.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10571, 24 January 1906, Page 2

INFECTIOUS DISEASES.

PROPOSED ISOLATION WARD. From the discussion at yesterday's meeting of the Hospital Trustees an isolation ward for Gisborne will soon be an established fact, probably within the present year. The necessity for some place where infectious diseases can be treated has been often urged on the responsible local bodies for years, and there have been numerous discussions on the subject. The Health Department having made it a demand that a ward be built m accordance with the Act, Gisborne will be brought into line with larger centres m this respect. In view of this it is interesting to note the number of cases which have occurred m this district of recent years. The number of cases reported to the local Board of Health m the 12 years from January Ist, 1894, to December 3ist, 1905, total 593. The diseases included m this total of 593 are typhoid, and its twin brother enteric, diphtheria, scarletina, scarlet fever, measles, pneumonia, tuberculosis, ahd whooping cough. Typhoid : During the last three years the district has been comparatively free from this scourge, there being. only 15 cases recorded; 5 m 1903, 6 m 1904, and 4in 1905. An average of 5 a year, which include cases from the extensive country . district, is a satisfactory one, and would compare favorably with any other district of equal population m the colony. With water and drainage m the town this dirt disease should practically disappear. Going back to 1894, there were several heavy years- when typhoid cases were very frequent. In 1894 there were 33, 1895 14, 1896 31, 1897 20, 1898.79,. 1899 32, 1900 25, 1901 48, and 1902 16, making a total with the 15 cases during the past three years of 313. Enteric : There were four cases set down as enteric m 1897, three m 1898, 14 m 1903, tliree m 1904, and six m 1905, total 30. Diphtheria : With a total of 136 cases, diphtheria ranks second to typhoid as the most prevalent during the past 12 years. Of these more than half-occur-red m 1895, • when there was quite a small epidemic, no less than 76 cases being recorded. In the following year, 1896, there were 23, and 10 m 1897. In other years the total never got beyond 5, there being 3 m 1894, 2 m 1898, and 5, 4, 1, 3, 3, 5, and 1 m the respective years to 1905. Scarletina : Twenty cases were reported from 1894, 6 m 1896, 7 m 1901, 6 m 1902, and 1 m 1904. Scarlet fever : There was no appearance of this complaint from 1894 to 1899, m which latter year there was one sufferer. In 1901 and 1902 there were two or three small scares started m connection with scarletina and scarlet fever, and food for discussion afforded the Borough Council (the local Board of Health) m the fact that the Mayor had to make extended explorations m cabs m order to find accommodation for patients. There were 15 cases of scarlet fever m -1901, 10 m 1902, 4 m 1903, 6 m 1904, and none last year, making a total of 36. . Measles : Forty-four cases of measles were' reported to the Board of Health m 1898, 1 m 1899, 2 m 1901, and 1 m 1903, total 48. Pneuiribnia, tuberculosis, and whooping cough : One case of pneumonia was reported m 1901, and 2 cases of whooping cough m 1902. Two cases of tuberculosis were recorded m 1902, and the Board were advised of 5 m 1905. -