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5
Measles. —This disease caused 18 deaths in 1897, as compared with
109 deaths in 1896. Only one death from measles occurred in Kensal
Town. Out of the 18 deaths no fewer than 10 occurred in the three
last weeks of the year, when measles was again assuming an epidemic
form in the home district. In 1896 the epidemic commenced in
February and continued until the middle of June.
Scarlet Fever. —This disease caused 17 deaths in 1897, as compared
with 28 deaths in 1896. Out of the 17 deaths, five belonged to Kensal
Town. From the middle of September until the end of November the
Fever Hospitals of the Metropolitan Asylums Board were unable to
admit all the patients suffering from this disease, and also those
suffering from diphtheria, who applied for admission, but there was
much less difficulty and delay in securing the admission of patients
than in 1896.
Diphtheria. —This disease was much less prevalent than in 1896, but
was credited with the causation of 53 deaths, 10 of which belonged to
Kensal Town. In addition there were 3 deaths from membranous
croup. In 1896 there were in Chelsea 108 deaths from diphtheria and
four from membranous croup. Of the 56 deaths from fatal throat
disease in Chelsea in 1897, 42 were under five years of age, and 14
were over five ; 40 deaths occurred in hospitals and 16 at the patients'
own homes.