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50
Non-Zymotic
Diseases.
It will be seen by Table XIV that, considering the
great increase of population during the eleven years
included in the table, the Non-Zymotic deaths have not increased
in proportion to the number of residents, but have diminished, in
almost the same proportion as the Zymotic deaths. On former
reports this has been attributed to the fact that improved sanitation
reduces the death rate of both classes of disease, and consequently
suggesting that many of the so called non-zymotic diseases will
in time be transferred to the zymotic class.
A notable example of this tendency is to be found in the
case of Tuberculosis, also known as consumption of the lungs,
water on the brain, tabes or consumption of the bowels, scrofula,
&c. This disease is without doubt communicable under certain
circumstances, probably to persons predisposed constitutionally
to contract the disease.
Public attention has been much directed to this aspect of
the question of late and large meetings have been held on the
subject, by which the attention of those having control of the
public health has been aroused, and in many of the districts of
the Metropolis and elsewhere the local authority has issued
handbills, giving the public information as to the precautions to
be observed against this disease. Such handbill has been drawn
up by me, and adopted by the Health Committee and the Vestry,
and is here appended.
PRECAUTIONS TO BE OBSERVED
against
TUBERCULOSIS OR CONSUMPTION.
The Vestry, as the Sanitary Authority for the Parish, and
as advised by the Medical Officer of Health, desire to direct
attention to the importance of adopting measures to prevent the
spread of Tuberculosis, which is also known as consumption of
the lungs or bowels and also as water on the brain, scrofula, &c.