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250
It will be seen that during each quarter of the present year the
disease has been excessive when compared with corresponding quarters
of the previous years tabulated, and that, if this prevalence be
maintained during the last quarter, the total number of persons
attacked will far exceed that of any previous year.
It should also be noted that the six Winter months, namely, the
last quarter of 1898 and the first quarter of 1899, were marked by the
heaviest incidence of the disease—a fact bearing upon the alleged
association of the spread of diphtheria with the noxious smells
emanating from the sewer gratings in the Autumn.
Fortunately the mortality has not advanced in the same ratio as
the attack rate, a fact probably due in a great measure to the more
extended use of anti-toxin in the earlier stages of the disease. This
is seen when the following table showing the monthly and quarterly
deaths during the past 5¾ years are compared with the previous table,
showing the weekly and quarterly attacks of the disease:—