INFECTIOUS DISEASES

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 235, 29 June 1920, Page 6

INFECTIOUS DISEASES

PREVALENCE OF GOITRE

STATISTICS BEING COLLECTED

■■;■•;' Ihiring the week ended noon yesterday, 104.cases of infecious diseases were reported in the Wellington Public HeaCrh '■i District, a decreaso of 94 compared with ' the'figures for the previous week. Influenza is not now notifiable, tut five cases, were reported to the Health Office v: during the week. Accurate information ~.,v,Tegaraing influenza is not now available. .but it is believed. that - the malady is less prevalent than was the ease several! .'.'weeks, ago."

;,'.;.Cases" of diphtheria continue to occur .sporadically, ohd last week 33 notificaibohs'oanie to hand. The average number :of diphtheria eases notified weekly during the past month has T>een about 33. The latest district health bulletin contains 42 notifications of goitre. This disease has not been made notifiable in .the strict sense of the term, but as the Public Health Department is anxious to collate statistics regarding its prevalence ■medical practitioners have been naked to .■ furnish the Department with 'particulate of cases that come under their notice. The •spread of goitre 'has been the subject of comment of recent months, and the HeaJth Department intends to undertake research, as fx> its causation.

■ -~'"''' Hospital districts whicJi reported cases '. '. -of infectious diseases last week were:— Waipawa: Diphtheria, 4; pneumonia, 2; ■'■■' erysipelas, 1; opthalmia, i'j goitre, 3. .'Taranaki: Diphtheria, 1; tuberculosis, 1; influenza, 2; chicken-pox, 11 Stratford: V Influenza, 1; Hawera, Diphtheria, 2; '"' 'puerperal septicaemia, 1; chicken-pox, 1. Wanganui: Diphtheria, 2; entertic fever, .1; tuberculosis, 1; goitro, 10. Wellington: Diphtheria, 12; enteric fever, lj tuberculosis, S; influenza, 2;: pneumonia, 6; ', ■:'••' measles, 2; goitre, 15. Pailmcrston North'"'Scarlet fever, 1; diphtheria, .3; goitre, 7. a Wairarapa: gcarlet fever, 1; enteric fcyei l , 4;. goitre, s.'Nelson: Diphtheria, 5; '-goitre, 2.' , ' , The following table gives details of ' vv the various, diseases, notified, figures for the previous week aJso being shown for 'purposes of comparison:— ',- . ■'•■ '.. . This. Last week. week. - '"■'" Goitre .:... 42 0 . -,-, Diphtheria a 33 41 •"' ''{-; Scarlet fever 2 8 Enteric fever .' ...... 2 0 ;,: Tubercuilosis B 3 '' Puerperal septicaemia .... 1 0 •Measles '• • — 2 2 , Influenza .'. :-• 5 129 ~;.'.:, Infantile, paralysis 0 .1 ~),. Pneumonia ; » 8:. 3 .;._;■'. Chicken-pox 2 -10 ..-'Erysipelas ... 1 1 ~.. Ophthalmia -. • *.. .' * / :/V\; "Totals ......'. '101. 198