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9
So it will be seen then that while the early months of this year were
charged with the end of the Scarlet Fever epidemic of 1870, the later
months saw the commencement of the epidemics of Measles and Hooping
Cough, which have since been so fatal. Now these two diseases kill
indirectly; they predispose to lung diseases, especially Bronchitis and
Pneumonia, of which the children die; consequently, as I have pointed out
in my monthly reports, the mortality from them depends to a very great
extent upon the weather; we may expect them to be especially fatal in
weather which produces a high death-rate from lung diseases. "We find
that of the 154 deaths from Hooping Cough, 42 (or more than a quarter)
occurred in December alone, while of the 148 from Measles, no less than 98
(or two-thirds) took place in the same month. We shall presently see that
this month was quite exceptional, both as regards its temperature and the
number of deaths from lung disorders that occurred during it.
Diarrhœa and Summer Cholera caused 248 deaths in the year; of
these 219 were those of children under 5 years of age; these diseases were
of course especially prevalent from July to October.
It is often very difficult, if not impossible, to distinguish cases of Summer
Cholera from true Asiatic Cholera, and the name Sporadic Cholera has been
given to those scattered cases which are usually the precursors of an
epidemic; it is of the highest importance that persons attacked with
Diarrhœa should at once obtain medical advice and treatment, especially if
it be at a time when Cholera is imminent or actually prevalent, and in all
doubtful cases disinfectants should be thoroughly used, it being always
kept in mind that they may turn out to be cases of true Asiatic Cholera.
Diseases of the Organs of Respiration caused 872 deaths during the
year, 384 being those of children under 5 years of age, and 414 those of
persons over 40, so that only 74 occurred among persons between the ages
of 5 and 40; of the 872 deaths, 549 were from Bronchitis and 228 from
Pneumonia. These deaths were, as in 1870, almost equally divided between
the two sub-districts, that is to say, that the mortality due to these diseases
was proportionately greater in the West than in the East sub-district. Last
year there were 818 deaths under this head.