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33
The epidemic declined during the summer months, hut was
accompanied and followed by deaths from whooping cough and
other respiratory disorders.
Influenza.
The sixth epidemic of this disease, which first appeared
in this country after an absence of nearly fifty
years in 1889, again affected a large number of persons in the
early months of the year. Although many hundreds were incapacitated
yet the mortality was below that of other years
during which it was prevalent. Ninety-two deaths were
recorded, the greatest number known in any one year except
eighteen hundred and ninety-two and eighteen hundred and
ninety three, when the deaths numbered one hundred and
thirty-three and one hundred and eighteen respectively.
There can, however, be no doubt that the high mortality
from diseases of the respiratory system was much influenced
by this disease.
By the order of the Sanitary Committee a list of precautions
to be taken drawn up by me was re-issued and circulated
largely throughout the parish, and is here reproduced.
The diagram annexed shows the relative prevalence of fatal
cases during the different seasons of the year, but gives no
indication of the number of cases which were probably a hundred
fold greater, including cases in every degree of severity.
It is a disease of the greatest variability, many, probably
the majority of cases, being merely a matter of a few days or
even hours. Others are of pronounced severity, and as
malignant and fatal as the worst forms of tropical fever which
indeed Influenza when severe precisely resembles and from
which it is most probably derived.