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11
This not being among the notifiable diseases, I am unable to
record the amount of sickness which existed from it during the
year.
Measles.—This disease was credited with having caused 13
deaths, against 51 for the preceding year, the degree of prevalence
of this malady, like the last, can only be judged of by the number
of deaths ascribed to it, because it also is not notifiable under the
Public Health Act.
Measles was very prevalent in London during the year, almost
double the number of deaths occurred to those of the previous
year, namely 3292 against 1661, the number being—788 during
the first quarter, it rose to 1745 during the second quarter, and
then gradually fell to 300 during the fourth quarter.
Diarrhœa caused 17 deaths, 16 of which occurred to children
under five years of age. The number of deaths in London
during the year was much below the average. During the second
quarter only 140 deaths were certified from this cause, and
although during the third quarter as many as 1215 deaths
were registered ; for the whole year the number reached was
1780, against 3446 for the year 1893, thus showing a saving of
1666 lives under this heading.
In the Parish of St. Luke during the year 1893, 40 deaths
were certified as due to Diarrhcea, 35 being children under five
years of age.
Cholera.—The precautions against the incursions of this
disease recommended by the Local Government Board during
the years 1892 and 1893 were revived during the past summer
and autumn, with the additional opportunity afforded of having
the valuable assistance of Professor Klein, of St. Bartholomew's
Hospital, to enquire into any suspected case of cholera, or even
rapidly fatal diarrhcea, simulating cholera, and in any case in
which it was thought desirable of having material bacterially
examined. Fortunately, as far as this parish is concerned, no
such opportunity occurred.
In this connection I have visited a large number of addresses
furnished by the various Port Sanitary Authorities, being the
reported destination of passengers arriving from various parts of
the Continent, and have interviewed the said persons as to their
state of health in cases in which the addresses were correctly
furnished.