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11
The deaths referred to the principal Zymotic diseases during 1885
were above those of the previous year, for notwithstanding there was
a considerable diminution in the number of deaths arising from
Scarlatina, Typhoid Fever, and Whooping Cough, the deaths from
Measles increased from 125 to 289, being 164 in excess of the previous
year. The deaths from Diphtheria also rose from 114 to 138.
The number of deaths attributable to Diseases of the Respiratory
Organs was largely in excess of the previous year, whilst the deaths
from Diarrhoea and from Tubercular and some other specific Diseases
were considerably below those of last year.
SMALL-POX.
Small-pox was again severely epidemic, especially during the
first six months of the year. It gradually subsided in July and
August, and may be said to have ceased as an epidemic by the end of
September, having been prevalent amongst us at Islington, and in
London generally, for about one year and eight months.
A further brief reference to this epidemic, with Tables relating to
the same, will be found on a subsequent page.
Measles was the most fatal epidemic of the year, the deaths
reaching 289, the highest number ever recorded in Islington, as against
125, 165, 153, 161, 48, and 219 in the six preceding years. The
greatest fatality which attended the disease chiefly occurred during the
six months extending from March to August, both months inclusive.
Diphtheria was again epidemic during the year, the deaths, which
were nearly equally distributed over the twelve months, having risen
to 138, as against 114, 70, 54, and 42, in the four previous years. The
area over which the disease ranged was rather more extended
than in the preceding year, but the Eastern portion of Upper Holloway
continued to be the district principally affected by the disease.
I am glad, however, to be now able to state that during the first
six months of the present year (1886) the epidemic has been apparently
subsiding, the number of deaths having been only 26, as against 64 in
the corresponding six months of the year under review.