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20
Just over 70 per cent. of the cases notified were treated in hospitals of the
Metropolitan Asylums Board, being 10 per cent. more than in 1895.
For the first six weeks of the year the weekly number of cases notified were
above the average. From the end of February to the beginning of July they wore
below the average, and for the rest of the year they were again above the average,
until the beginning of December.
The maximum number of cases notified in any single week was in that ending
August 15th, when 32 cases were brought to my notice. In the first week in
September 29 cases were notified, and in the last week 30. The minimum weekly
number of cases notified was three, which was during the last week in April.
During 1896 scarlet fever caused 942 deaths in the Metropolis, as compared with
829 in 1895, and the death-rate was 0.21 per thousand as against 0.19.
DIPHTHERIA (including Membranous Croup.)
There has been an increase in the number of cases notified as compared with the
numbers of the two previous years, there being 356 as against 244 in 1895 and 303 in
1894. The weekly numbers of cases were more numerous during the latter half of
the year; the largest number of cases notified during any one week was in that
ending October 24th, when 16 cases were reported.
The deaths, which were 149 in 1893, 76 in 1894, and 59 in 1895, rose this year
to 75. The mortality amongst those attacked, which was 29.0 per cent. in 1893, 25.0
per cent. in 1894, and 24.1 per cent. in 1895, shows a marked decrease, being
21.0 per cent.
Of 154 cases, where the patients were under five years of age, 49 proved fatal,
or 31.8 per cent. died as compared with 47.5 per cent. in 1895, 43 per cent. in 1894,
and 61.3 per cent. in 1893. Of 202 cases, the ages being five years and over, 26
proved fatal, or 12.8 per cent. as compared with 7.0 per cent. in 1895, 11.5 per cent.
in 1894, and 11.4 per cent. in 1893.
The majority of deaths were of children aged between one and five years. Under
one year there were three deaths, and of children aged between 5 and 15 years
there were 25 deaths. All the deaths, except one, were of children under 15 years of
age (vide Table XXV).
The diphtheria death-rate for the Parish was 0.61 per 1000 inhabitants, being
1.11 in Shoreditch South, 0.52 in Hoxton New Town, 0.50 in Hoxton Old Town, and
0.55 in Haggerston.