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29
WHOOPING COUGH.
An examination of the totals for the four quarters of the vear shows that the distribubution
in time during the second five years differed from that of the first. Taking the annual
averages for each period as 100, the proportions for the four quarters were—
Qr
1909 13
1914-18
1
40.2
32.7
2
33.6
39.3
3
13.0
19.4
4
13.2
8.5
If the first and fourth quarters be accepted as the two most unfavourable, qua prognosis,
for the disease, the facts that during 1909-13 53'4 per cent, of the cases occurred in those
quarters, and that during 1914-18 58'7 per cent, occurred during the second and third
quarters, besides indicating an unexplainable change in the time distribution of the disease,
give reasons for expecting a lower fatality during the second period. The Index Numbers
for 1914-18 (at all ages) are males, 85; females, 108; and persons, 97. The Numbers for
the individual age-groups are given below.

Comparison of the distribution of cases by Wards shows that the disease was less
prevalent in all the Wards during 1914-18 except Westbourne and Hyde Park.
On the other hand the fatalities observed in Maida Vale, Church and Lancaster Gate
(East) Wards were the exceptions to the general reduction.

During 1909-13 the secondary cases constituted 47"8 per cent, of all known cases, as
compared with 39'6 per cent, during 11)14-18. The total numbers of secondary cases are
shown below.
No. of houses with
2 cases
3 „
4 „
5 „
1909-13
406
195
66
21
1914-18
394
195
56
24
No. of houses with
6 cases
7 „
8 „
1909-13
8
2
1
1914-18
6
1
...
Institutional Treatment.—During the five years 1.34 cases (5*4 per cent, of the known
cases) were admitted to institutions—79 to hospitals of the Metropolitan Asylums Board
and 55 to the Infirmary. The deaths (8) among the former were equivalent to a fatality of
101 per cent. and those among the latter (31) to a fatality of 56'3 per cent.
Mortality.—During 1914-18 152 deaths were due to this disease, as compared with 174
during 1909-13. The annual averages and Index Numbers are given below.
In 1909-13 27.0 per cent. of the deaths occurred in institutions, the proportion rising to
34-8 in 1914-18.
Other Diseases.—The records of the following diseases are based on information other
than medical certificates addressed to the Department, being drawn mainly from " Form 84."
The annual numbers are given in Table III., Appendix.
Whooping Cough.
Males
Females
Persons
Annual
1909-13
17
18
95
Averages.
1914-18
13
17
30
Index Numbers.
1914-18
76
98
87