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scarlatina, which was especially fatal during the two
winter quarters; the deaths from this disease increased
from 10 and 19, in the two summer quarters respectively,
to 60 and 37 in the two winter quarters, making
a total of 126 deaths during the year from scarlatina,
against 59 from the same cause during the previous
year.
The three last fatal epidemics of this disease begun
in 1858—9, 1863—4, 1868—9, respectively, showing
an equal interval, representing probably the period of
incubation or elaboration of the specific virus of this
disease. Scarlatina is more easily communicable, and
its infectious property more permanent and persistently
ineradicable than other ordinary epidemic diseases,
hence the rapidity and certainty with which it spreads,
unless vigorously checked, through schools and localities,
or wherever young persons are congregated
in numbers. Scarlatina is eminently a preventable
disease, its morbid principle being especially producible
by sewage matter as it exists in old obstructed and
disused drains; once originated in thisway, its extension
is only limited by the number ofpersons susceptible
to infection who may come in its way.
Small Pox.—There were only 4 deaths from this
disease during the year. The average number of deaths
for the 10 previous years was 22.
Fever was fatal in 95 cases, the average number for
10 previous years being 73.
Measles.—Twenty-nine deaths occurred from this
disease, the average for 10 years being 49.
At the commencement of the scarlatina epidemic in
October, I caused printed notices to be sent to every
known school in the Hamlet, containing instructions as
to the best and most stringent measures to be adopted
n the event of the disease appearing among the