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37
Considering the Zymotic diseases in detail, it is seen that
there was no death from Small pox. There were two deaths from
this disease in 1902; there have been none since that year. From
Scarlet Fever only 1 death occurred. In recent years Scarlet
Fever has not been an important cause of mortality, the highest
number of deaths in any one year being 6 in 1906.
Diphtheria caused 5 deaths, the smallest number in any year
since 1899.
Enteric Fever caused only one death. Hornsey has for many
years been singularly free from Typhoid Fever.
The principal causes of the increased Zymotic death-rate is
the abnormally large number of deaths from Measles, Epidemic
Diarrhoea, and Whooping Cough. Measles has caused 20 deaths,
a larger number than in any previous year, although 1906 and
1904 are very near, with 18 deaths. There was a widespread
outbreak of Measles at the beginning of the year, and the majority
of the casas appeared to be of a more severe type than usual.
Whooping Cough, though accounting for more deaths than
in any of the three preceding years, has in several recent years
been more fatal than in 1911.
Epidemic Diarrhœa was the disease responsible for the greater
part of the increased Zymotic death-rate. This disease caused 36
deaths in 1911, as against 1 in 1910, 9 in 1908, and 3 in 1907.
The year 1906 with 30 deaths, 1904 with 24 deaths, 1899 with 32
deaths, and 1897 with 29 deaths, were all years of high Zymotic
mortalities.
The exceptionally long spell of hot, dry weather in the summer
of 1911 is accountable for the large number of deaths from
diarrhoea. Special measures were taken to counteract the climatic
conditions and to minimise the incidence of the disease as far as
possible. All nuisances, accumulations of refuse, dirt, and dirty
conditions of houses and yards were sought out and dealt with
promptly. Verbal and printed instructions as to the avoidance
of conditions likely to favour the prevalence of the disease were
given in the districts likely to be affected, and also information
as to the care and feeding of infants, who chiefly suffer from this
affection. (See Appendix.)
Infantile Mortality.—During the year 1911 there were
116 deaths of infants under 1 year of age, as against 97 in 1910,
and an average of 115 for each of the ten years 1902-1911.