34

H.—3l

These may be summarised as follows :— Scarlet fever .. .. .. • • • • • • ■ ■ .. 606 Enteric fever .. .. .. • • • • • • .. 25 Tuberculosis .. . • • • • • • - - - - - - - 1'" Diphtheria .. .. .. • • •••■ • • .. 85 Blood-poisoning .. .. • • • •■••• . . 48 Hydatids .. .. ■ • • • • • • ■ • • •• " Total 943 Marlborough District. Seventy-one cases of infectious diseases were notified during the year, with a total of 5 deaths, as follows :— Cases Deaths .Reported. Scarlet fever .. .. • • • • • • .. 19 Enteric fever .. .. . • • • • • .. 2 Diphtheria .. .. •• •• •• ..42 1 Tuberculosis .. .. • • • • • • . . 7 Hydatids .. .. " • • • • • • .. 1 Total 71 5 Scarlet Fever. —Although 19 cases were reported, this disease never assumed an epidemic form. The individual cases were scattered and isolated. Enteric or Typhoid Fever. —Improved sanitary conditions have been mainly responsible for reducing this disease to a minimum. Only 2 cases have been reported through the year. In past years typhoid raged like a scourge on more than one occasion in this province. Diphtheria.— Forty-two cases of diphtheria were reported during the year, the disease assuming the nature of an epidemic, which, however, was fortunately of a very mild type, there being only 1 death. The first notifications of the disease were received from Blenheim, from which town a total of 16 cases have been reported. Other cases were reported from Onamalutu, 1 ; Tua Marina, 1 ; Seddon, 4 ; Rai Valley, 1 ; Havelock, 1 ; Renwick Town, 3. Finally, the disease spread to Picton, where 15 cases were reported, necessitating the closure of the schools for several weeks. In bygone years diphtheria raged in a most virulent form on several occasions in Marlborough, whole families being wiped out by it. The present epidemic has been of a much milder type, and its virulence has been lessened owing to the free use of antitoxin by the medical practitioners of the district. Nelson District. In this district notifications were received of the following infectious diseases : —

Westland District. Infectious diseases were notified as follows : —

Scarlet Fever. Enteric Fever. Diphtheria. Tubercle. 14 22 8 1 3 4 lelson Borough Vaimea County Jollingwood ?ern Flat .. liwaka lotueka 7 1 1 1 1 2 Total 13 10

Boroughs. Counties. | o I e a .-a o ft o r/1 S8 o i 1 d o | s a a I i 1 a ■a be 1 c5 Scarlet fever Enteric fever Diphtheria Phthisis Pulmonary tubercule Hydatids Pyaemia 3 1 1 37 2 3 1 1 14 25 10 14 1 2 1 7