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diphtheria treated in hospital, 18 died, a case
mortality of 10.8 per cent. as against 9.4 amongst the
whole of the cases treated at the Asylums Board
Hospitals during the year. All the diphtheria deaths,
except six, were amongst young children aged less than
five years. The diphtheria mortality in Bethnal Green
was 0.15 per thousand living, as against 0.09 for the
whole of London. Eighty-seven of the cases were
reported from the North-East sub-district, and ninety
four from the South-West.
During the year the Local Government Board placed
the gratuitous supply of anti-toxin on a satisfactory
basis by issuing an order (vide Appendix) authorising
the provision of this serum both for curative and
prophylactic purposes. By direction of the Public
Health Committee, a supply of anti-toxin was obtained
and placed at the disposal of practitioners in the district,
and the following circular was issued:—
Metropolitan Borough or Bethnal Green.
Public Health Department,
Cambridge Road, N.E.
Dear Sir,
A supply of Diphtheria anti-toxin is now kept at
this Office and is available for (gratuitous) use by
medical gentlemen practising in the Borough, for
the poorer inhabitants thereof.
You are probably fully aware of the great reduction
in the mortality of diphtheria due to the
use of anti-toxin, but this great benefit is most
marked when the remedy is used at the