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other relations, of the patients. Unfortunately, the
information dates from the beginning of March only,
whilst the disease was present in the Parish from the
commencement of the year. Reliable conclusions
cannot be drawn from the statistics compiled, but it
will be useful to enquire as to their completeness.
The fatality of measles may be taken to vary from
3"5 to 5'0 per cent, of the attacks. The former
fatality has been the experience in Aberdeen, and
the latter in Edinburgh, notification of the disease
being in force in both Cities. Calculated on these
fatalities, the 89 deaths registered during the year
would represent either 2,543 or 1,780 attacks, as
compared with 1,196 actually reported. Inasmuch
as the system of inquiries was not instituted until
March, the deaths and known attacks in January and
February may be set aside, as well as 8 deaths subsequent
to the end of February, which escaped inquiry.
The 70 deaths thus remaining would be equivalent
to either 2,000 or 1,400 cases, on the fatalities already
mentioned, whilst the number of attacks reported
during the ten months was 941. It appears probable,
therefore, that the cases reported constituted from
one-half to two-thirds of the actual number of
attacks. Two factors were more particularly operative
to render the information incomplete:—(a) the
novelty of the system, and (b) the fact that
the schools constituted the chief source of the