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99
Notification Statistics.—The notifications of scheduled diseases
in 1893, as already stated, were 67,485. The Committee give
diagrams to show the cases of scarlet fever, enteric fever, diphtheria,
and small-pox, which were notified during each week of the four
years that compulsory notification has been in operation in London.
Fever Statistics.—The year began with 3,548 fever, diphtheria,
and other patients in the hospitals. The number under treatment
declined until the minimum, 2,199, was reached on the 24th March.
After that date the number gradually rose, until it attained 3,224 on
the 19th July, remaining at about that figure until the opening, on
the 30th October, of the new Fountain Hospital at Tooting, and,
subsequently, of certain day rooms at the Northern Hospital, when
the number under treatment rose rapidly, until the maximum for the
year (3,558) was reached on the 5th December. Of this number,
354 were under treatment at the Western Hospital. The total
number of patients under treatment during the year was 22,222, as
compared with 18,120 in 1892; an increase therefore of 4,102. The total
admissions were 18,674, as compared with 16,276 in 1892 (increase
2,398); 7,809 in 1891; 8,334 in 1890; 5,772 in 1889; 5,152 in
1888 ; and 6,537 in 1887. Up to the latter year, the largest number
admitted in any one year had been 2,867, in 1882. The total
discharges were 16,975, and the deaths were 1,982, or a total mortality
of 10.53 per cent., as compared with 10.55 in 1892. The monthly
admissions of all cases were lowest in February and highest in
November. A diagram given, shows the monthly admissions of each
kind of fever, from the date of opening of the first of the Managers'
hospitals in 1872, to the end of 1893, which, by curves relating to
scarlet and enteric fevers, clearly indicates the seasonal prevalence of
these diseases. The admissions of scarlet fever cases in 1893, were
14,548: males 7,047 and females 7,501—excess of females 454.
The mortality, calculated on the admissions, was 6 2 per cent., and
equal amongst each sex. The disease is most fatal to children under
five, and notably to infants in the first and second years of life.
Diphtheria, like scarlet fever, is most fatal to young children ; the
maximum mortality (69.9 per cent.) occurs in the first year of life,
subsequently falling, with every additional year of life, to the minimum
of 36 per cent. amongst persons between 30 and 35 years of age.