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In the above table the deaths from laryngitis are of children under 10 years. It is
to be observed how much commoner laryngitis was, during 1859 to 1864, given as a cause
of death than is the case at the present day. If it be allowed that these deaths from
laryngitis were deaths from laryngreal diphtheria or membranous croup, it would seem
that the deaths from diphtheria were somewhat more numerous than they have been
since 1893.
Of the cases of diphtheria certified during 1900, 15.3 per cent.* terminated
fatally, as compared with 17.0 per cent. in 1899, 17.3 in 1898, 22.1 in 1897, 21.0 in
1896, 24.1 in 1892, 25.0 in 1894 and 29.0 in 1893.
Of the children attacked who were under the age of 5 years, 22.7 per cent. died, as
compared with 34.2 per cent. in 1899, 29.5 in 1898, 36.0 in 1897,31.8 in 1896, 47.5 in
1895, 43.0 in 1894, and 610 in 1893.
Of the cases certified amongst persons over 5 years of age, 7.l per cent, terminated
fatally, as compared with 5.4 per cent, in 1899, 6.5 per cent. in 1898, 9.9 in
1897, 7 0 in 1895, 12.8 in 1896, 11 5 in 1894 and 11.4 in 1893. The whole of the
deaths from diphtheria in Shoreditch during 1900 were of children under the age of
15 years.
The death.rate due to diphtheria was 0.45 per 1,000 inhabitants, as compared with
0.52 in 1899 and 0.37 in 1898 (see appendix, Table VII.) The disease was more prevalent
in Shoreditch during the second and fourth quarters of the year.
* Allowing for the cases not regarded as diphtheria by the Medical Officers of the Metropolitan
Asylums Board, the case.mortality was slightly higher than this figure, being nearly 16 per cent,