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18
Diphtheria and Membraneous Croup.—During the past year
847 cases of Diphtheria and 19 of Membraneous Croup were notified.
These numbers show a total increase of 102 cases over those notified
in 1897. The attack rate was 3.8 per 1.000. The deaths numbered
265, making a death rate of 1.2 per 1,000 living persons.
By a glance at the chart accompanying this report it will be
seen that the disease was most prevalent during the first six months
of the year. The next three months the disease was at its lowest
point. The last three months of the year witnessed a return to the
condition of the earlier part of the year. Diphtheria had not been
so prevalent in Hackney since the year 1893, in which year the
attack-rate was 4.1 per 1,000, The cause of the wide-spread existence
of Diphtheria in London is not at present determined. It is
probable the cause of spread is multiple. I alluded in my last year's
report to the relation of Diphtheria to defective drainage; and in
another part of this report I again deal with this subject. The
relation of school attendance to the spread of the disease is also
important. It is singular that almost every year we get in some
part of Hackney the scholars of a certain Board School affected
with Diphtheria in such proportions as to suggest that school life has
been active in spreading the disease.
The Rushmore Road School was affected in this way during the
first five months of 1898. From the first week in January to the
last week in May, with the exception of one week in March, cases
occurred every week amongst the scholars, varying from one to four
each week, the total number during the whole period being 44. Of
these no less than 37 were amongst the infants; and in addition I
found on enquiry that several infants were away at the same time
suffering from sore throats or mumps.
The following table shows the classes of the Infant School attacked,
with the average attendance, No. of cases, and percentage
attack rate for each class.