11

H.—3l

Table B. —Showing the Monthly Incidence of Infectious Diseases during the Year 1920.

The folio vying additional comments may be made upon these tables : — Puerperal Septicemia. Puerperal septicaemia shows an increase in comparison with recent years. The following table gives the numbers of notifications and deaths due to this condition, and their rates per 1,000 live births, for the period 1917-20 :—

Puerperal Septicæmia in New Zealand, 1917-20.

An important feature of the year under review, and one exemplifying the increased virulence of the micro-organisms producing this disease, was the number of outbreaks in maternity hospitals. Amongst others, serious institutional epidemics in Napier, Blenheim, Palmerston North, and Ghristchurch were investigated by the Department, and. appropriate action taken to limit the spread of the disease. Erysipelas. —lt is interesting to record that the notifications for erysipelas also show a marked increase for 1920, 156 cases of this disease being reported in the latter year, as against 73 in 1919. Various medical writers have pointed out that puerperal septicemia, erysipelas, and rheumatic fever exhibit a similar periodicity. Certainly the New Zealand experience of 1920 confirms this statement, so far at least as puerperal septicaemia and erysipelas are concerned. 1 Influenza. Influenza again came into prominence in 1920, but fortunately the disease did not exhibit any marked tendency towards malignancy. An attempt was made in the early stages of the outbreak to limit its spread by means of notification, isolation, &c, but this proved useless. As a result, notification of simple influenza was discontinued in June, and the only types of the disease over which administrative control was exercised were the pneumonic, septicemic, and fulminant varieties. As the tables show, the prevalence of these forms of influenza rapidly diminished towards the end of the year. Measles. Measles first became epidemic in Dunedin about the middle of the year, and, despite earnest attempts to limit its spread by means of notification, isolation, &c, soon spread north. When it was apparent that the disease had broken bounds, notification, &c, was discontinued.

d E o « ft £ 5 > 4 I 1 3 3 W H 4 3 '3 a d CO .* S as* O 3 3J ft Pi IS] 3 a a M a -a s §111 ft « CO M .2 o a 3 I £ S 1 ■S3 "o o 0 •2 4 a «5 ,2p, a-g <s 19 SS ■«§ a 43.5- I « £> & ° \M 03 V 4J d w as I o £5 o a h I a 4 (/.' o S >. 1 .9 "8 <1 .3 2 O H Jan. Feb. Mar. April May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. 115 186 84 186 93 249 135 289 152 283 151 277 131 283 107 159 88 151 55 145 68 118, 69 116 36 104 22 77 40 146 25 84 33 101 35 96 45 120 34 120 36 121 26 122 28 97 29 117 5 6 10 5 9 II 7 6 8 2 6 1 4 .. 10 17 9 14 10 i 7 13 i 5 14 ' 2 10 5 12 10 14 i 4 14 : 9 8 1,606 0,074 3,930 5,621 10,013 2,684 138 119 101 52 41 19 143 76 98 126 137 125 213 284 262 175 158 136 68 59 24 23 52 115 729 1,527 19 22 22 L5 I I 3 5 128 88 103 48 47 40 29 21 3 4 9 17 7 6 3 3 11 2 5 .. 24 11 .. 9 20 4 2 3 19 4 2 4 16 2 8 2 8 2 4 4 16 1 1 4 10 2 5 4 9 12 4 8 1 2 2 4 2 4 1 3 3 4 3 5 3 I 4 5 9 I 4 1 I i 2,292 6,607 4,621 6,376 10,994 3,660 1,841 2,458 875 671 588 561 1 i Nov. Deo. 3 2 Totals 1,248 2,442' 3891,305 30 42 48156 15 45 10 1 I I 41,544 79 76 1241 129,928 470 1,938 2,697 ,95 1509 30

917 918 .919 920 Year. I Number. 62 76 79 124 Notifications. No! itifioal itions. Rate per 1,000 Live Births. 2-19 2-94 3-23 4-14 Number. 59 48 52 67 Number. Deaths. Deaths R Rate per 1,000 Live Births. s. late per 1 Live Birl 2-09 1-86 2-12 2-24