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15
ZYMOTIC DISEASE DEATH RATE.
Under this heading are included deaths from Small-pox,
Measles, Scarlet Fever, Diphtheria, Typhus, Enteric and
Puerperal Fevers, Whooping Cough and Epidemic Diarrhoea.
They number 7, or 7 per cent. of our total deaths, or .55
of our total population.
The Table, C, will shew at a glance the various rates.
The diseases will be spoken of under their respective headings
later.
In Table III will be seen that much the largest incidence
of infectious disease is experienced up to 15 years, the
proportion being 103 to 25 for all the. remainder of the ages
put together. The total of 128 notified cases, included 60
Measles.
Assuming the numbers of the population of Merton are
made up of the same proportion of ages as in the last Census in
England and Wales, it will be noted that, whilst the chance
of catching infection at the early periods of life is about eight
times as much, the deaths per notified cases is nearly 50 per cent.
more. The lesson to be learnt from these figures, and they
apply everywhere, is that the younger the child the greater
is the need for protection, notably because the chances of
recovery are greater as they get older, and the remark applies
more forcibly to ages before 5 years. Too many people have
the idea that, the earlier a child contracts infectious disease,
the greater is the chance of recovery.