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103
[1914
It is difficult to account for this epidemic. No cause has been found for
it, but it may be said that it was not peculiar to Islington, for there was a
very noticeable increase in the number of cases of the disease throughout the
Metropolis.
The cases notified during the year contrasted with an average of 1,130 in
the preceding 10 years, and the return was therefore 723 in excess. The attack
rate was as high as 5.71 per thousand of the population, which is 2.28 in excess
of the mean rate of the preceding 10 years, and is higher than any rate in
those years. The return is, moreover, with one exception, the highest recorded
since the notification of the disease was made compulsory, namely, that for
1896, when 2,031 cases were known.
The great majority of the cases were confined to individual houses, thus,
there was only 1 case in each of 1,253 houses out of the 1,481 houses infected,
and there were 2 cases in each of 150 houses, 3 cases in each of 53 houses,
4 cases in each of 14 houses, 5 cases in each of 8 houses, 6 cases in each of 2
houses, and 8 cases in 1 house.
These facts are tabulated in the following statement, where a comparison
is also made with the four preceding years:—