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45
NOTIFIABLE INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
The infectious diseases notifiable under Section 55 of the
Public Health (London) Act, 1891, are :—Small-Pox, Cholera,
Diphtheria, Membranous Croup, Erysipelas, the diseases
known as Scarlatina or Scarlet Fever, and the Fevers known
by any of the following names:—Typhus, Typhoid, Enteric,
Relapsing, Continued or Puerperal; Cerebro-Spinal Meningitis,
Ophthalmia Neonatorum, and Acute Polio-Myelitis or PolioEncephalitis.
The total number of cases notified during the year 1915
amounted to 900, of which number 632, or 70.22 per cent.
were removed for isolation to the Metropolitan Asylums Board's
Hospitals or other Institutions. In 27 instances, or 4.27
per cent. of the cases removed, the Hospital authorities returned
the patient as not suffering from any notifiable disease. Deducting
these from the gross total, we have a corrected total
of 873 cases of infectious disease notified as occurring in the
Borough during the year, a decrease of 651 compared with
the total for the preceding year, which was 1524. In 1913, 1215
cases were notified.
Age Periods.—38.72 per cent. of the Scarlet Fever cases,
compared with 40 95 per cent. in 1914, and 36.8 per cent. of
the Diphtheria cases, compared with 46.65 per cent. in 1914,
occurred among children aged six years and under.
The following figures show the percentage of cases occurring
among children of the age of six years and under to the total
notifications of Scarlet Fever and Diphtheria:—
Scarlet Fever. Diphtheria.
Age. 1913. 1914. 1915. 1913. 1914. 1915.
6 years and under 41.71% 40.95% 38.72% 47.52% 46.65% 36.8%
5 „ „ 32.10% 31.21% 27.44% 36.38% 38.66% 28.4%
4 „ „ 20.26% 18.52% 18.29% 22.03% 25.00% 19.6%