View report page

18
disease rather than to another, when there is a doubt on the
subject. This, however, cannot account altogether for the marked
increase in the mortality. The deaths from whooping cough
were fewer than in any year since 1877. Id 1888 the number
was 134, against only 52 in 1889, and an average for 10 years of
119. From enteric or typhoid fever the mortality was also
below the average, as only 32 deaths were registered from the
disease, against a mean for 10 years of 49, and with the
exception of 1888, there has not been so small a number of
deaths from this fever since 1880. Indeed, allowing for
increase of population, there is very little difference in these
years in the number of these deaths. The continuous decrease
of mortality from typhoid in this district for more than 20 years
is one of the most important testimonies to the value of
sanitary measures, for although defects in drainage are not
invariably found in connection with typhoid fever, yet there is
a general belief amongst sanitarians that the habitual
prevalence of typhoid in a locality indicates defective means of
drainage. The systematic inspections, not only of houses
occupied by the poor, but of those inhabited by persons in
more affluent circumstances, for the removal of bell traps,
cutting off sink wastes and rain water pipes from direct
communication with the drains has, I believe, had much to do
with the improved public health of this district. There was an
inorease in the number of deaths from diarrhoea, compared
with last year, as it was 93 in 1889, against 78 in 1888. The
mean of the preceding 10 years was 130.