View report page

22
SMALL-POX.
This disease was non-existent in the Borough throughout the year. The corrected decennial
average number of deaths from this cause was 1-3. Only one death (in 1904) has been registered
in the four years 1903-6.
There was no death in London from this cause, the corrected decennial average being 169.
The cases notified were 31, compared with 417, 492, and 74, in the preceding three years. The
contributory boroughs are set out in the table at page 39.
MEASLES.
Measles was the cause of 81 deaths, compared with 34, 67, and 54, in the three preceding
years successively: 76 and 5 in the Town and Brompton sub-districts respectively; the corrected
decennial average being 79. The four-weekly number of deaths is set out in the table at page
16. Seventy-two of the deaths occurred in the first 32 weeks of the year, and 9 in the remaining
20 weeks: 78 of the deaths were of children under five years of age, including 31 in the first year
of life. Between 1-2 years there were 32 deaths; between 2-3 years, 8; between 3-4 years,
3; and between 4-5 years, 4. There were 2 deaths between 5-6, and one at 34 years of age The
rate of mortality was 0-45 per 1,000 persons living.
The lady sanitary inspectors, who commenced, in June, 1905, a systematic visitation of cases
of measles reported by school teachers, continued this work throughout the past year. The cases
so reported were 691 in number, other 162 cases being met with in the houses visited: total
cases, 853. Of the sufferers, 506 were under five years of age—including 76 in the first year of
life—and 318 between 5 and 10 years. The cases in Wards were: St. Charles 173, Golborne 224,
Norland 132 ( = 529), Pembridge 108, Holland 86, Earl's Court 83, Queen's Gate 22, Redcliffe 13,
Brompton 12 (=324). Disinfection was carried out at 186 houses. The Inspectors report as
follows:—
We were glad to notice a much larger proportion of cases attended by a doctor than
observed last year. The mothers in general appeared more impressed with the probable dangers
resulting from what they have usually considered a trivial illness. In many cases we found a
doctor had been sent for when the first child fell ill, the mother relying on her remembrance of
his instructions for nursing the subsequent cases. The disinfections carried out were few
compared with the number of cases; but in many houses several children, often in more than
one family, were ill, simultaneously or successively, and disinfection could not be carried out
until after recovery of the last case. A leaflet calling attention to the serious nature of the
disease, was distributed at every known infected house and gratefully accepted.
The deaths from this cause in London, as a whole, were 1,909, and approximately 489 below
the corrected decennial average (2,398): the rate of mortality was 0-41 per 1,000 persons living.
SCARLET FEVER.
The notified cases of scarlet fever were 463, compared with 320, 262, and 332, in the preceding
three years : 306 in North Kensington and 157 in South Kensington. The deaths were 11 (a
case-mortality of 2-4 per cent.) and 8 below thecorrected decennial average (19): eight belonged
to the Town sub-district, and 3 to Brompton : ten of them occurred at outlying public institutions,
to which 417 cases were removed. The rate of mortality was 0 06 of the population. The
deaths in the preceding three years were 14, 5, and 21, respectively.
Scarlet fever was more than usually prevalent in London throughout the year; and the
Upper Hospital at Gore Farm was utilized for convalescing cases. The ordinary accommodation
at the Managers' disposal was less than the normal in the first half, the South-Eastern hospital
(488 beds) not having been re-opened until July after its reconstruction.