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1899] 146
Fatality from Diphtheria.—Altogether 688 cases of this
disease were notified, out of which 120 died; that is to say 17.4
per cent. The fatality varied somewhat in the several districts, for
in Upper Holloway out of 335 reported cases 67 died, or 20.0 per
cent.; in Islington South-west out of 131 cases 20 died, or 15.2 per
cent.; in Islington South-east out of 132 cases 17 died, or 13.0 per
cent.; and in Highbury out of 90 cases 16 died or 177 per cent.
It was greatest in the fourth quarter of the year when 21.9 per
cent, of the cases died, and least in the first quarter when only 12.4
died. It was only slightly above this figure in the second quarter
when 12.8 per cent. succumbed, but in the third quarter it was 19.8
per cent.
From 1891 to 1899 the fatality from Diphtheria, inclusive of
Membranous Croup, has been 22.0 per cent., for I find that out of
6899 cases 1520 have died. During these years it reached its
highest point in 1894 when it was 247 per cent. of the cases.
In the two succeeding years it was respectively 247 and 23.5
per cent., but in 1897 there was a great decrease, for the proportion
of deaths to cases was only 18.0 per cent. This low percentage
was followed by a still lower one, 17.1, in 1898, which was in
turn succeeded by a rate which was higher by 1 per cent.
I will not now discuss the cause of this reduction in the fatality
from Diphtheria, but will content myself by saying that most
competent observers agree in ascribing it chiefly to the antitoxin
serum treatment.