View report page

23
In the opinion of many Medical Officers of Health, Measles
should be reported under the Public Health (London) Act, 1891,
in the place of Erysipelas. At the present time, enquiry is being
made by the Medical Officer to the London County Council as
to the desirability of notification. I believe it to be simply a
matter of expense.
Diphtheria and Membranous Croup. I am happy to state
that the notifications received of Diphtheria cases have decreased
considerably, in fact, they are lower than in any year since 1892,
see Table A, page 26.
The deaths from that disease are much smaller in proportion
than formerly, the decrease being due, to the best of my belief, to
its earlier recognition, and subsequent treatment by means of
injection with anti-toxin.
The following extract and table is taken from the RegistrarGeneral's
Annual Summary for 1897:—
"Diphtheria was the assigned cause of 2,261 deaths in the
course of the year 1897. These deaths were equal to a rate of
0•51 per 1,000, against rates of 0•62, 0•54, and 0•60 per 1,000 in
the three preceding years.
"The London Death Rate from Diphtheria in 1897 exceeded
the average rate in the ten years 1887-96, which had been 0•45 per
1,000. The deaths from Diphtheria and Croup together numbered
2,333, and were 64 below the average. The local mortality