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Phthisis.
13. The corrected number of deaths from Phthisis was 86.
This gives a death rate of 14 per 1000, as compared with 1.2
last year. The increase is doubtless due to the greater prevalence
of Influenza. The rate in England generally was 1.5 in 1891,
In Woolwich it was 3.4 in 1889. So we see there is comparatively
little Phthisis in Plumstead. There is more in West
Plumstead than in East proportionally to population (the ratio
being 8 to 5). I can only account for this on the supposition
that the older houses are less healthy than the new ones, chiefly
because more means have been taken to exclude damp in recently
built houses.
Measles.
14. After Diphtheria, Measles was more fatal than any of
the infectious diseases, causing 45 deaths, most of which
occurred in East Plumstead in the spring quarter of the year.
Diarrhœa.
15. Diarrhoea caused 26 deaths, all but 2 being in children
under 5. This is the highest number recorded since 1888, and
was no doubt mainly due to the remarkably warm summer which
characterized the past year.
Age Distribution of Population.
16. Table IV. obtained by the kind permission of the
Registrar General, gives the number living in Plumstead at the
various groups of ages. From these I have calculated the following
table to shew how the age distribution in Plumstead differs
from that of England and Wales.