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58
1909]
MORTALITY FROM THE PRINCIPAL EPIDEMIC DISEASES.
Small Pox, Measles, Scarlet Fever, Diphtheria, Whooping Cough, Fevers
(that is to say Typhus, Enteric and Continued) and Diarrheal Diseases.
Deaths.—For the fourth year in succession it is possible to congratulate
the Council on the low mortality from the principal epidemic diseases, as the
deaths, 418 in number, although some (50 more than the return for the preceding
year, are nevertheless 349 below the average, corrected for the increase of
population, of the preceding 24 years. This is very satisfactory, especially
when it is seen that with the exception of measles each disease showed a
decrease on that average. The 418 deaths are, with the exception of ihe
return for 1908, the smallest number that has been recorded in Islington
during a quarter of a century, which denotes that the efforts that have been made
to prevent them have not been without effect, especially when such a
highly preventable disease as Enteric Fever has fallen from an average of 42 in
these years to 12 in 1909, and tnat diarrhœal diseases have decreased by 135,
although it must not be forgotten that these diseases are amenable to weather
conditions.
Death-rate.—The death-rate resulting from the epidemic diseases was
119 per 1,000 inhabitants, as compared with 1.01 in the preceding year, 124
in 1907, 1.63 in 1906, and 1.54 in 1905. Only twice in the 15 years preceding
1900 was it below 2.0 per 1,000, while on several occasions it was
between 3.0 and 3.69 per 1,000.
The mortality of the County of London during the year was 1.31 per
1,000, while in the encircling boroughs it was 1.29, several of which presented
very low death-rates, especially St. Pancras, Stoke Newington, Hackney
and Hornsey.
Sub-Districts.—The epidemic death-rate varied considerably in the
several sub-districts, ranging from 0.67 in Tollington to 1.71 in South-east
Islington, where owing to an excess of Measles, it was higher than in any
other part of the Borough. In Lower Holloway, too, for the same reason
the rate was as high as 1.64. Full particulars for each sub-district are given
on pages 61 and 62.