H.—3l.

The following cases were sent to the General Hospital by order of the Department: — Enteric fever .. .. .. .. .. .. 70 Scarlet fever .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 26 Diphtheria .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 24 Tonsilitis .. .. .. . . .. .. .. .. 1 Tuberculosis .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 3 Blood-poisoning* .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 18 Measles .. .. .. .. . . .. .. .. 1 143 * Including puerperal septicaemia, tetanus, and erysipelas. Enteric Fever. The cases of enteric fever recorded throughout the health district for the past five years are : — 1904-5 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..180 1905-6 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..172 1906-7 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..153 1907-8 .. .. .. .. .. .. ... ..353 1908-9 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 241 As set forth in a preceding table, the city, suburban boroughs, and road districts, and the country districts as a whole, all exhibit a decrease as compared with the previous year. The total, however, is some 60 or 70 cases more than the average of earlier recent years, and this is to be accounted for by reason of the epidemic of the summer of 1907-8 in Auckland and suburbs not having quite died out in the early months of this departmental year, and by outbreaks in several country districts, notably in the Counties of Tauranga, Thames, Waitemata, Ohinemuri, Whangarei, Waipa, and Taupo, which, though they swell the total for the year, were not extensive. Two cases in Waikato district were attributed to infection from mussels. In connection with an outbreak early this year at Point Chevalier, where, as well as in the neighbouring district of Avondale, a house-to-house inspection was made, investigation showed that the mode of dissemination was in all probability fly-convection. The accompanying charts show the incidence of enteric fever in Auckland and suburbs in relation to meteorological conditions —(1) for eight years, and (2) each month of the year under review. Scarlet Fever. Cases notified in the health district during the last five years are : — 1904-5 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..273 1905-6 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..240 1906-7 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..268 1907-8 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..277 1908-9 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..142 As shown in a previous table, there is a very appreciable and satisfactory decrease in the case-rate throughout the health district. Auckland City, for example, has had but 35 cases, as against an average of 79 cases per annum during the preceding five years ; indeed, the case-rate last year in Auckland City is the lowest during any year since notifications have been recorded by the Department. Diphtheria. Notifications recorded for the health district during the last five years are : — 1904-5 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 63 1905-6 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..97 1906-7 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..103 1907-8 .. .. .. .. .... .. ..165 1908-9 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..101 The case-rate may be regarded as having returned to the normal, the reduction from the heavy record of the previous year having been experienced generally throughout the city, boroughs, and the road and country districts, Waipa and Whangarei Counties being the only districts where an undue number of cases occurred. Tuberculosis. The cases notified during the last five years are: — 1904-5 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..86 1905-6 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..86 1906-7 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..96 1907-8 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..198 1908-9 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 176 The greater number of cases notified during the last two years are, no doubt, to be accounted for by the necessity to notify this disease being more fully recognised, and not to any real increase in the case-rate. This view is borne out by the fact that in Auckland and suburban boroughs (in spite of appreciably increased population) the actual deaths from the disease have not increased in the last five years, and that the deaths from phthisis have been reduced throughout the Dominion from 8-11 per 10,000 of the population in 1898 to 6-66 per 10,000 in 1907.

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