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reduction. The diphtheria admissions were 893 more than in
1897, but the death-rate, 15.37 per cent., was the lowest on
record. The scarlet fever mortality was 4.12 per cent. The
monthly admissions, of all diseases, were lowest in February,
and highest in October. The admissions of scarlet fever were
notably in excess of the number in 1897, from Fulham, St.
Pancras, and Woolwich; and as regards diphtheria, from
Fulham, Hampstead, Hackney, St. Saviour, Lambeth, Wandsworth,
Woolwich, and Lewisham.
Tables are given which show the admissions, deaths, and
mortality per cent., of scarlet fever cases in 1898, and in the
years 1892-1898, divided according to age and sex. With
regard to diphtheria, an interesting comparison is made of the
mortality per cent. in the years 1888 to 1894, before antitoxic
serum was generally used, and in the years 1895 (when the
serum was first generally used), to 1898. In the first period it
was 30.3 per cent. at all ages ; in the second period 184. The
difference in the mortality rates during the two periods is more
particularly striking as regards young children. Under
five years of age the rate was 49.9 per cent. in the first
period, and only 27.3 in the second period. The rate in
cases in the first year of life fell from 61.8 to 38'0; in
the second year from 631 to 30 8 ; in the third year from
55.1 to 28.7 ; in the fourth year from 48.3 to 241 ; and in the
fifth year from 39 0 to 22.8. Amongst cases from five to ten
years of age the mortality fell from 281 to 16.2 per cent. At
ages above ten years the differences were not so marked. The
enteric fever death-rate was 16 4, and 23 per cent. lower than
in 1897. The lowest death-rate is amongst patients between
five and ten years of age, increasing with each quinquennium
until it attains a percentage of 33.8 amongst patients between
forty-five and fifty years of age, and 35.1 amongst patients
above fifty.