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25
Measles.—There were no deaths arising from this cause during
the year, a similar return to that of the previous year. There
were 2 for 1957, none for 1956 and 2 for 1955. Prior to 1955 no
deaths had been registered since the year 1947 when there was one.
Scarlet Fever.—For the thirteenth year in succession there
were no deaths attributed to this cause. One was recorded in 1946.
none in 1945 and one in 1944.
Whooping Cough.—No deaths were credited to this cause
during the current year, a similar position to that obtaining during
each of the previous 6 years.
Two deaths were registered for 1953, none for 1952 and one
for each of the years 1951 and 1950.
Enteric Fever.—There were no deaths arising from this cause
during the year and none have been recorded since 1941. Only 2
deaths from Typhoid Fever have been registered during the last
25 years.
Diarrhoea and Zymotic Enteritis.—Compared with a nil
return for the current year and one for the previous year there was
a nil return for each of the years 1956 and 1955, one death from
this cause was registered in 1954, 2 during 1953 and none during
1952.
Diphtheria.—Again it is gratifying to report that there were
no deaths from Diphtheria during the year under review and that
it is now 13 years since one was recorded.
Tuberculosis.—There were 14 deaths from this disease during
the year, giving a death rate of 0.15 compared with 7 deaths
and a rate of 0.07 for the previous year. Despite the fact that the
rate for the present year still compares favourably with the average
tuberculosis death rate for the previous ten years, viz. 0.25, the
increase in the number of deaths since last year represents an
advance of 100% and, as such, must give rise to anxiety and
apprehension should such a trend continue.
There has been some recent speculation to the effect that the
use of the drugs introduced after the war, which produced such a
decline in the mortality of this disease, has now produced a resistant
form of the tubercle bacillus and that there may well be a period
in which rates will rise or, at best, remain static.
Although in Greenwich numbers are small, the current increase
indicates that there is no room for complacency in the fight against
tuberculosis.