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74
Table V. shows that the number of deaths from the
principal infectious diseases and from diarrhoea was 174,
a much smaller number than the average and than the
number for 1875, but larger than the numbers for 1873 and
1874; the number for each disease is also smaller than the
average except that for the continued fevers, which is however
smaller than the number for 1875.
The 174 deaths from these diseases are equivalent to a
rate of only 1.9 per 1,000 persons living; while the general
London rate was 3.6, and that for the 20 large English
towns 4.1; the rate amongst those towns varying from 2.2 in
Brighton to 8.5 in Salford.
Small-Pox, which was epidemic in London, caused two
deaths in the Parish during the year, besides the deaths
which occurred in Hospitals, and the Inspector's Report book
shows that it occurred in 19 other houses: in all the cases
efficient disinfection was carried out.
I extract from my report for the month of January 1877,
the following summary of the mortality statistics of the
small-pox epidemic in London during the year:—
"There were 735 deaths in London from small-pox in
the 52 weeks of 1876; of these 544 were certified, 325 as
unvaccinated, and 219 as vaccinated, while the remaining
191 were uncertified as to vaccination. There are several
reasons why many cases are not certified as to vaccination,
one being 'that in the present state of the law some parents
are inclined to give no information about unvaccinated cases,'
and another, that many medical men do not consider it
incumbent on them to give the information. All the deaths,
however, which take place in the Hospitals are certified as
to vaccination, so that the relative mortality can safely
be calculated from them; of the 735 deaths, 338 took