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tion (which however was not in many instances submitted
to) was urged on all persons who had not recently been
vaccinated, and the rooms, clothing, &c., were thoroughly
disinfected.
Scarlet Fever.—The deaths were 22—17 at hospital and
5 at their own homes. 156 cases were removed to hospital
out of a total of 303, or 51.4 per cent. The case
mortality of those removed was 10.9 per cent., and of
those remaining at home 3.4 per cent. These figures are
higher than in 1892, showing that the type of scarlet
fever occurring was more severe.
The somewhat extensive prevalence of scarlet fever
during the year was undoubtedly aggravated by the
insufficiency of the hospital accommodation provided for
the isolation of the cases. From the middle of June till
the opening of the new Fountain Hospital, at Tooting, on
October 30th, there Avas delay in getting urgent cases
removed, and even after that date our difficulties had not
entirely ceased. There is no doubt, also, that the hospitals
are being used more largely, year by year, by classes of
persons who find them convenient and economical, but
who occupy houses where cases of scarlet fever could be
nursed without danger to the public health. They, of
course, occupy beds on which the very poor class should
have the first claim. I think it would be a gain if
sanitary authorities could have the power of selecting the
cases that should be first removed when there is not room
for all in the hospitals. The present system is removal
according to priority of application, from whomever the
application comes, and it has sometimes happened that
cases that were a great source of danger have had to wait
for days, until those others not so urgent have been
removed.
Diphtheria.—Thirty-one deaths were recorded, 17 at