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visited cases which had been reported from schools. Often the information
was so belated that the time for any action had passed
away, and we could do nothing beyond passing on the information of
the illness to any other schools attended by children of the house,
Sometimes it was possible to advise the calling in of a medical man,
but the frequent event was to discover that the existence of the
measles reported to the school existed only in the informant's
imagination.
While measles showed an increase, whooping-cough, on the contrary,
marked a decline of 10 from the previous year. As usual, the
greater mortality showed itself in those under 5 years old, infants
under one year old being especially affected.
There were 13 deaths from cerebro-spinal meningitis. Two of
these were in children under the age of one year, and two between
the ages of 15 and 25, while 7 took place between the ages of 5 and
15.
The notifications were 29 in number, and of these three were
military cases.
There was a complete absence of infection of the other members
of the patients' households, although several cases occurred under
circumstances well favourable for the spread of infection. A similar
state of things existed with regard to their connection with soldiers.
No nearer relation could be established than what might be expected
under the ordinary chances of association between the two classes.
Nasal catarrh had been existing in a few of the households, but
the prevailing reply was to the effect that the health had been good.
The deaths from the two main forms of inflammatory lung
disease showed a considerable increase, amounting to nearly 200.
The increase seems to have shown a special predilection, as is usually
the case, for persons at the two extremes of life.
The deaths from cancer showed an increase of 8, all of which
occurred at the later age-periods, the somewhat disquieting rise in
the age-group 25-45 not being apparent in the present year.
The deaths from enteritis and diarrhoea were a little heavier
than last year, but the fatal cases in the very young were almost
identical in number.
The deaths from pulmonary tuberculosis were 355, one more
than in 1914. An increase showed itself in the age period 15-25,
and a slight decrease in that of 25-45, where in 1914 there was an
increase, while there is a very decided fall in the 46-65 period.
Taking London as a whole, the deaths from phthisis have risen from
6,281 to 6,782. The rise, therefore, in Camberwell, which was a
somewhat disquieting feature in last year's report, has not been
maintained, but, on the contrary, the return that we make is as
favourable a one as last year.
Of the deaths that took place in infirmaries or hospitals, where
particulars could be obtained, it would appear that 22 had been
inmates for less than one week; 41 for less than a month; 42 for
less than three months ; the stay of the remainder having exceeded
that time.