Page 32 - Bulletin 23- 2020

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New Somerset Hospital: 94 Cases were admitted, sixty-nine discharged and 25 died.
Woodstock Cottage Hospital: 7 Cases were admitted and eventually discharged.
Rondebosch and Mowbray Cottage Hospital: 19 Cases were admitted and were
eventually discharged.
The total cases admitted to the Hospitals enumerated above were 473 Europeans, 591
Coloured, and 120 Not Classified, ie. 1,184; of these 894 were discharged and 310 died.
It was noticed that if a female patient was pregnant she nearly always abuted with a
large percentage in this class of patients. In a few rare instances the child survived and in still
fewer the mother likewise survived.
The age period 25 to 35 was that in which the greatest number of deaths occurred,
followed by that in the period 15 to 25. I regret that I am unable to give death-rates for different
age periods owing to a complete census not having been made since 1911.
Table A in the appendix gives the deaths from influenza classified as to sex and age
periods. There were 961 European deaths and 3,080 coloured deaths, a total of 4,041, i.e. a
death-rate of 10.7 per 1,000 for Europeans, 37.4 for coloured and 23.4 for all classes.
The accompanying Charts show the deaths occurring daily (a) from Influenza and (b)
from Influenza and Pneumonia, because some deaths primarily due to influenza may have been
certified as due to pneumonia. It will be seen how the deaths increased rapidly from October
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th
th
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4 , to a maximum on the 11 and 13 , with an equally rapid fall on the 24 , after which
comparatively few deaths occurred in the case of Europeans. For the Coloured the gradient is
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much steeper rising from 9 on October 2 to 325 on October 10 , and rapidly falling to 15 on
nd
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October 27 and then gradually dying out.
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By October 20 , the disease had almost abated after which there was accommodation
in the properly equipped hospitals for any serious cases.
In consequence of the epidemic, the numbers of Sanitary Inspectors and Inspectresses
were increased and voluntary notification of “Influenza” adopted. In March, 1919, compulsory
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notification of “Epidemic Influenza” was enforced. From that time until June 30 , there were
26 European males, 18 European females, 25 coloured males and 23 coloured females notified.
As far as allowable each case was visited, swabs of sputum taken and bacteriologically
examined. Most of the cases were ordinary influenza. During these months (March to June) 4
Europeans and 24 Coloured died of this disease.
Inoculations. – At the Government Bacteriological Laboratory a vaccine was prepared
from many strains of organisms isolated from cases of the disease. The composition of this
vaccine was Bacillus Influenza (Pfeiffer) 200 millions, Streptococci 1,000 millions and
Pneumococci 800 millions per 1 c.c. Doses of 0.25 c.c. were used. Inoculations were made at
the City Hall, at some of the depots and for a few days in the large Drill Hall. Large numbers
flocked to be inoculated and although full details as to each inoculation were to be kept, I found
in many instances this had not been done or the books lost so that I cannot give the number on
whom the operation was performed. No ill effects from these inoculations were brought to my
notice. Those members of my staff who were inoculated came off very lightly and were able
to perform their duties whilst the others were mostly affected and some dangerously.
I made inquiries from the Government Veterinary Surgeons and others and was
informed that there had been no epizootic amongst horses or other animals resembling
influenza.