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75
[1899
In his report for the year 1898 the Registrar General remarks,
in discussing the increase of Diphtheria, as follows
" (a) The great epidemic of 1858-9 was preceded by a marked increase in the
mortality from croup and quinsey, by a still greater increase in the
mortality from cynanche maligna, and also by some increase from that
from laryngitis.
" (b) The diphtheria epidemic of 1863 was accompanied by parallel movements in
the mortality ascribed to croup, and also in that ascribed to cynanche
maligna.
" (c) The incidence of croup in regard both to season and to the ages at death of
those attacked is found to have been similar to that of diphtheria.
" (d) Whereas the deaths attributed to croup 1861-75 were more numerous by
one-third than those attributed to diphtheria, the deaths attributed to
croup in 1896-98 were less than one-sixth part as many as the deaths
attributed to diphtheria.
" These facts taken in conjunction, whilst they afford statistical support to the
current medical opinion as to the identity of the two diseases, certainly
warrant the assumption that by far the greater number of the death
hitherto attributed to croup have really been caused by diphtheria
Other places have been similarly affected by the confusion
that has occurred in the certification of Diphtheria and Croup
This is well seen in the following Table:—
F 2