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The number of cases notified, as compared with London, during the
last ten years was:—
In Southwark. In London. In Southwark. In London.
1895 — — 1900 784 11,990
1896 683 13,808 1901 558 12.154
1897 626 13,192 1902 539 10,735
1898 — — 1903 354 7,738
1899 1,298 13,692 1904 281 7,220
Number of deaths from Diphtheria during the last ten years:—
In Southwark. In London. In Southwark. In London.
1895 82 — 1900 108 1,539
1896 129 2.663 1901 53 1,330
1897 105 2,240 1902 63 1,159
1898 123 1,756 1903 23 740
1899 184 1,946 1904 26 723
Of the 281 cases notified 257, or 91.4 per cent., were removed to
hospital with 18 deaths, a mortality of 7.0 per cent., whilst in the 24
cases treated at home there were 8 deaths, a mortality of 33.3 per cent.
In the cases treated at home it can hardly be said to be the practice
to employ the Antitoxic serum which has so reduced the mortality in
diphtheritic patients in the hospitals.
Such is the benefit that has attended this treatment in the hospitals,
that in the poorer districts health authorities can not be relieved from a
certain amount of opprobrium when they refuse to supply this remedy
gratuitously to the medical men of the district. Just as in vaccination
there must be individuals who from what is called conscientious scruples
refuse to believe in anything of the kind, yet happily they are few in
number. The best results we know, are obtained from the application of
the serum as soon after the onset of the complaint as possible, and in a
full dose.
As a prophylactic in households where virulent cases have arisen it
should be more extensively used.
ENTERIC FEVER.
The deaths from Enteric Fever during the year, numbered 18, as
against 23 for 1903.
The total number of cases notified was 92 for the present year, and
122 for 1903.