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61
[1906
DEATHS FROM THE SEVEN PRINCIPAL EPIDEMIC DISEASES.
Small Pox, Measles, Scarlet Fever, Diphtheria, Whooping Cough, Fevers
{that is to say Typhus, Enteric and, Continued), and Diarrhœa.
The returns from these diseases are satisfactory for they record only 562
deaths, as compared with a corrected average of 779 in the preceding twenty
years, so that there has been a decrease of 217. The epidemic death-rate for
the year was 1.63 per 1,000 of the population, compared with a mean rate for
the twenty years of 2.26. Only twice previously has it been so low, namely
1903, when it was 1.39 per 1,000, and in 1905 when it was 1.54 per 1,000. An
examination of the registers reveals the pleasing feature that, with the exception
of an insignificant increase in the mortality from measles and diarrhoea, each
of the diseases exhibited a decline (vide Table XXVIII), which amounted to as
many as 86 in the case of Diphtheria, 98 in that of Whooping Cough, and 24
in that of Enteric Fever.
The decline in the epidemic diseases is best seen by making a comparison
between the quinquennial periods. During the five years 1886-90 they
numbered 3,885; from 1891 to 1895, 3,969; from 1896 to 1900, 4,013; and
from 1901 to 1905, 2842. Thus in the last quinquennial period there was a
decrease on its predecessor of 1,171 deaths, of which Measles contributed 335,
Scarlet Fever, 35, Diphtheria, 335, Whooping Cough, 251, Enteric Fever, 60,
and Diarrhcea, 202. (Vide Table XXIX.)