35

H.—3l

Table No. 3.—Enteric Fever.

The total number of cases—32— as against 31 cases last year is again satisfactorj-. The occurrence of cases in sparsely populated districts where the source of infection cannot be traced to any previous case, and where sometimes this source of infection, direct or indirect, can be positively excluded as far as it is possible to prove a negative, strongly supports the theory held by some authorities that this disease may originate de novo. On the other hand, the two cases in Leeston are instances of infection from previous cases, or from the same causes that produced the infection in previous cases, as cases occurred in the same two houses in 1904.

Table No. 4.—Diphtheria.

There were 59 cases in 53 houses, as compared with 64 cases in 61 houses in 1905. There was an increased number of cases in Christchurch and district: 24 cases in 22 houses, against 15 cases in 11 houses in 1905. Of these cases 7 occurred in July, but no common source of infection could be discovered. Measles. As there was a widespread epidemic of measles in Dunedin and other centres in the Otago District in the earlier part of the year, it seemed highly probable that the disease would spread to this district within a short time. The occurrence of a widespread epidemic of measles in Christchurch during the Exhibition might have had serious consequences in preventing the visits of children and school cadets to the Exhibition, and would have increased the chances of the epidemic spreading, through visitors to Christchurch carrying the infection, to other towns in the colony. Among the first cases notified in Christchurch were two children who came up from Dunedin at the end of August, and were removed to Bottle Lake. A small epidemic occurred in

ay. une. iy■ug. iep ov. toe. an. :ar. Is. Christchurch lA'ttelton ... Kaiapoi Kaikoura ... Leeston Methven Ashburton ... Temuka Timaru ... ! - 1 i i 1 i i i 8 "■" i i "i 1 "i i i 2 2 "i i 6 3 1 2 2 1 2 4 3 1 1 1 2 2 i ... 2 Cave i Pareora Eaincliff ... i i ... i Oamaru Herbert i i "i "i < ■•■ Totals ... i 31 i i 3 l 3 i i 2 7 5

Apl. May. June. uly. Aug. lept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Totals. Christohuroh Papanui Tai Tapu ... Little Eiver 1 . • • * , 2 , 7 3 1 1 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 18 4 1 1 2 14 1 1 1 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 Sumner Lyttelton ... Amberley ... Kaiapoi Woodend ... Rangiora ... Ashburton ... Temuka Timaru Pleasant Point Waimate ... Hakataramea i l "i "l "i 1 2 2 1 i 2 i ... 1 ... 1 i "i 2 i •1 ... "i 1 ... '" i 1 ... i I ... • •• Totals... 1 2 3 3 13 8 8 6 3 2 4 i 53 Totals for Christchurch and district 1 2 10 2 3 1 I 1 1 1 22