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DIPHTHERIA.
13
DIPHTHERIA.
In 1906, 182 cases of diphtheria were reported; in 1907, 154; and last year, 142.
Membranous croup is always deemed to be synonymous with diphtheria, and under that
title the cases reported during the three years have been 0, 6, and 4 respectively. Combining
the two sets of figures, the total numbers of cases reported in each of the three years may be
taken as 182, 160 and 146 respectively, showing a reduction of nearly 20 per cent. The
combined morbidity rate for last year was 0.94 as compared with a mean rate for the
preceding quinquennium of 0.96. (Table 4.) Although the disease, as represented by the
notifications, was less prevalent last year in the Borough as a whole than in 1907, yet
increases were recorded in Maida Vale, Westbourne and Lancaster Gate, West, Wards.
(Table 5.) The greatest decline was recorded in Church Ward.
The numbers of cases reported in each quarter of the past year are compared with the
averages for 1903-07 in Table 12. Fewer cases were reported in the second and third
quarters, more in the first and fourth.
Contrasting the local rate with those of the Metropolis and districts adjacent to the
Borough (Table 5), it is seen that higher rates were recorded in the Metropolis and three of
the adjacent districts. The districts with rates below that of the Borough (0.97) were
Marylebone (0.91) and Hampstead (0.07). Last year's rates were generally below the
means except in Kensington (1.27, mean 1.02) and Westminster (1.08, mean 0.91).
The 146 cases reported in the Borough included 24 erroneously diagnosed, equal to
16.4 per cent., or more than 4 per cent. above the average for the preceding five years
(12.0), and 6 cases contracted in institutions beyond the Borough, including 4 of diphtheria
following scarlet fever. If the total be corrected by deducting those 30 cases, there remains
a nett figure of 116 cases, of which 12 were apparently due to infection contracted away
from home, and 4 to patients recently discharged from hospital. The cases comprised 10
primary and 12 secondary, the latter constituting 10.3 per cent. of the corrected total.
In previous years the notifications have been analysed as regards multiple cases in houses
without corrections for errors. The figures for last year thus obtained are given below:—
If, however, corrections be made for erroneous diagnoses, the numbers become—
Houses with 2 cases, 7 ; with 3 cases, 1 ; with 4 cases, 1.
There were no indications of any special incidence on any locality or in any school in the
Borough.
Of the 146 cases reported, 129 were removed to hospital, including the 24 cases
erroneously diagnosed. The percentage of cases treated in hospital was 88.3 last year
compared with an average of 82.1 during the five years 1903-07. (Table 14.) The
percentages of cases removed from the different Wards ranged from 66.6 in Lancaster Gate,,
East to 100 in Queen's Park Ward.