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76
scarlet fever, and diphtheria were above the average;
in London, those from measles, diphtheria, whooping
cough, and diarrhoea; in the "33 Great Towns," those
from measles, diphtheria, and whooping cough; and in
England and Wales, those from smallpox,* measles
and diphtheria. The feature of the year was the widespread
epidemic of measles.
Measles.—In North Paddington there were 93
deaths from this disease, and in South Paddington 10.
The corresponding death.rates were 1.00 and 0.29 per
1,000 persons. In the whole Parish the deaths
numbered 103, more than double the decennial average
(49), and equal to a rate of 0.81 per 1,000 persons at
all ages. The disease is one which is almost confined
to children, only 12 of the 103 deaths occurring at ages
over 5 years, whilst 71 were of children aged from 1 to
5 years, and 20 of children under one. The deaths of
males (at all ages) numbered 60, in comparison with 43
of females.
Last year's death.rate in Paddington (0.81) from
this cause was above that for England and Wales
(0.56),and that for the "33 Great Towns" (0.71), but
below that for London (0.82). In England and Wales
last year's rate was in excess of the rate for any one of
the previous ten years, with the exception of that for
1887 (0.60), whilst the 1896 rates both for London and
* This was mainly due to the epidemic at Gloucester, where the year's mortality
from this disease alone was 1037 per 1,000 inhabitants.