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17
the seasonal prevalence may be shown by the following diagram.
This represents the comparative average monthly deaths for the last
seven years from Influenza.
Diarrhœa.—The deaths from this disease in Hackney during
the year numbered 195, rather less than the total for the year 1896,
but those in the third quarter numbered 177 against 175 for the
previous year, so that the death-rate, compared with the previous
year, is much the same. The total number of deaths from this
cause in London far exceeded many previous years, no less than
3507 occurring during the third quarter, giving a death-rate of 3.1
per 1,000. The average temperature for London during that period
was higher than it had been since 1891, and the rain-fall was low.
From a consideration of the following table, I am confirmed in
my opinion, expressed in my annual reports for 1895 and 1896, as
to the malign influence of the water famines on the diarrhœa
death-rate during those years. It will be seen that the close
correspondence in the death-rates of Hackney and London, which
had existed during the third quarters of the years 1892, 1898, and
B