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23
Report of the Medical Officer of Health.
During the year 1902, zymotic diseases, with the exception of
Diarrhoea, were very prevalent, and the causes of the increase will
be described under the individual diseases. 535 deaths occurred
from these, an increase of 109 compared with 1901, but 72.8 below
the corrected decennial average.
Small Pox was the cause of 26 deaths, compared with three in
the year previous, and Diphtheria and Scarlet Fever, although
higher than last year, yet are somewhat below the decennial
average.
Enteric Fever, Measles, and other Zymotic Diseases are above,
while Whooping Cough, Influenza, and Diarrhoea are below the
average.
The death-rate per 1,000 from all these zymotic diseases was
2 . 18, compared with 1. 81 in 1901, 2 .12 in 1900, and 2.6 in 1899.
The death-rate from the principal zymotic diseases, viz.:—
Small-pox, Measles, Scarlet Fever, Whooping Cough, Diphtheria,
Enteric Fever, and Diarrhoea, was 1.68 per 1,000, compared with
1.55 in 1901.
In the County of London the rate was 2.21.
The mortality from these diseases shows considerable variation
in the different Boroughs comprising the County of London,
Hampstead being lowest with .81, Shoreditch the highest with
3.53, while this Borough is seventh on the list.
In out-lying institutions 69 deaths from these zymotic diseases
occurred during the year, (20 to Clapham, four to Putney, 11 to
Streatham, seven to Tooting, and 27 to Wandsworth).
In the year previous only 51 deaths occurred, but the increase
is more than accounted for by the number of deaths from Small
Pox, viz.:—25, compared with three in 1901.
Of these 12 occurred in the Union Infirmary, two from Measles,
two from Whooping Cough, two from Diarrhoea, and six from
Erysipelas; 17 in General and Special Hospitals, one from Smallpox
in Banstead Asylum, two from Influenza, three from Enteric