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(iv) Typhus.
Although rife in many areas in China, typhus was not recognised in Hong Kong during 1937.
(v) Cerebro-spinal fever.
Sporadic cases of cerebro-spinal fever were discovered throughout the year, forty-four out of a total of 157 being notified in March. March and April are the months of maximum prevalence. Eighty-eight or fifty-six per centum of the patients died. The corresponding figures for 1936 were 123 cases and sixty-five deaths, a case mortality rate of fifty-three per centum. The average annual incidence over the quinquennium 1932-1936 amounted to approximately 176.
(vi) Pulmonary tuberculosis.
As in past years pulmonary tuberculosis formed rather more than one out of eleven deaths from all causes. The overcrowded conditions under which the poorest and most under-nourished members of the community live (associated with the exceedingly common and filthy habit of spitting in public places) provide ideal soil for the propagation of this disease, especially since the hospitalization of any but a very small proportion of infectious cases is at present unrealisable.
(vii) Dysentery.
Mention has been made already of the significant rise in the notification of cases of dysentery which preceded the cholera epidemic of 1937. The greatest number of cases (111) were reported in October, a total of 576 being recorded for the whole year. There was, fortunately, no repetition of the disastrous milk-borne outbreak of dysentery of the Shiga type in European children which had claimed several victims in 1936.
(viii) Enteric fever.
July to October were the months of maximum prevalence of the enteric group of fevers. No doubt the refugee problem contributed to the increased incidence from 418 notified cases and 136 deaths in 1936 to 464 and 176 respectively in 1937.
(ix) Diphtheria.
During 1937 the major incidence of notified cases of diphtheria was recorded from November to March inclusive representing the colder winter months. In this instance an actual reduction took place, the figures for 1936 being 375 of which 214 proved fatal, whereas only 308 cases with 148 deaths were notified in 1937.
(x) Scarlet fever.
Scarlet fever is a rarity in Hong Kong, but eight cases were seen during the year.