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were infants who died shortly after birth. I have
no reason to believe that if an inquest had been
held on these cases any further information would
have been afforded as to the cause of death.
NOTIFICATION OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
During the year 1,150 certificates were received
from medical men under the Public Health Act.
In the previous year I received 868 such certificates;
in 1897,922; in 1896,857; and in 1895,
610. The notifications included 398 cases of
scarlet fever, 544 of diphtheria, 91 of erysipelas,
102 of enteric fever, 7 of typhus, 3 of puerperal
fever, and 5 of membranous croup. The total
number is an increase of 282. In the first quarter
of the year there were 201 notices; in the second,
223; in the third, 367; and in the fourth, 359.
The number of houses in which the existence of
a dangerous infectious disease was reported was
1,046, being an increase of 157 over those of last
year.
The premises were inspected, cleansed and
disinfected with the least possible delay. Every
effort was made to obtain the prompt removal of
patients to hospitals. The number of persons so