London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Greenwich 1897

Annual report for the year ending 25th March, 1898

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26
The following table will show the number of notifications of
Diphtheria that have been received by me since 1890, and also the
number of deaths that have occurred from that disease during
each year since :—

TABLE A.

Notified cases of Diphtheria.Deaths from Diphtheria.
189053189026
189148189121
18924318929
1893170189351
1894139189438
1895215189541
1896400189659
1897128189716

In both England and London the mortality from Diphtheria
was less in the decade 1871-80, than in 1861-70, but in the
decade 1881-90 it was greater than in the second, and in London,
had increased to a higher ratio even than in the first decade.
Comparing London to England, in the first decade the ratio
of mortality was about 5 per cent. lower than that of England,
in the second decade about equal, and in the third about 6 per
cent. higher.
It is strange that whilst formerly it was more prevalent in the
rural districts it now appears to affect the urban most.