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Enteric Fever is comparatively rare under five years of age: the
lowest death-rate is among patients between 5 and 10 years of age; it
then increases, with each quinquennium, until it attains a percentage
of 27.8, amongst patients between 35 and -10 years of age, and of
29.2, amongst the patients of ages from 40 to 60 and upwards. But
the cases admitted of ages above 40 are comparatively tew. By far
the largest proportion of the patients are between 5 and 25. Thus of
8,689 patients admitted into the hospitals in the years 1871 to 1893,
1,143 were between 5 and 10 years of age; 2,019 were between 10
and 15; 1,955 were between 15 and 20; and 1,319 were between 20
and 25. The combined mortality at all ages amongst these 8,689
cases, was 17.4 per cent. The male sex is more liable to attack by
this disease, but its fatality is greater amongst females, by T3 per
cent. Between the ages of 10 and 20, the death-rate is much greater
amongst females ; but the case is reversed in all later age-periods
Small-pox Statistics.—On January 1st, there were 39 patients
remaining under treatment: 91 cases were admitted during this month;
145 in February, 244 in March, 434 in April, and 507 in May. As is
usual, the disease then began to be less prevalent, and the admissions
declined, from 307 in June, to 209 in July, 93 in August, 71 in
September, 72 in October, 122 in November, and 81 in December,
making 2,376 during the year. Of the total admissions (2,453, including
77 not suffering from small-pox) 2,441 were admitted at the
Hospital Ships, and, of these, 1,552 were subsequently transferred to
the Gore Farm Convalescent Hospital. The deaths numbered 189,
and all but 6 of them occurred at the ships.
Vaccination Statistics are given which show that primary vaccination
cicatrices were present in 1,624 of the patients, of whom 42
(about 2 6 per cent.) died. In 252 cases there was "no evidence"
as to cicatrices : some of the cases were said to have been vaccinated;
in others no statement was made, but the nature of the eruption prevented
observation of the marks, if any existed. Of these 252 cases 41
(=17.4 per cent.) died. In 500 patients vaccination cicatrices were
absent, and of these 94 (=18.8 per cent.) died.