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The treatment of Diphtheria by its anti-toxin continues to give improved results, especially in
laryngeal and tracheotomy cases, and those that come under the treatment within two or three days of
the onset of the illness.
The bacteriological examination of material from doubtful cases of Diphtheria has been
continued by the Jenner (late British) Institute of Preventive Medicine. Of 84 such cases the
Diphtheria bacillus was isolated in 21, and the pseudo-diphtheria bacillus, which is non-virulent to
animals, was isolated in 10 cases. In the remaining cases it was not isolated. Most of the material
was sent by the London Homeopathic Hospital. At the Hospital for Sick Children where also many
cases of Diphtheria from various parts of London are treated, the bacteriological examination is
carried out by their own staff.
TYPHOID FEVER.
During the year the number of cases notified was 24, St. Sepulchre, and Glasshouse Yard
having each but one notification, in comparison with 34 in 1899, 9 in 1898 and 25 in 1897. of the
24 cases, 4 died, including one in Glasshouse Yard.
Of these 24 cases, two were afterwards certified not to be Typhoid, and 4 cases were not
contracted in the District. Three cases were probably contracted by direct infection from previous
cases, during nursing or attendance on the patients.
In London there were 4,291 cases of fever notified, and 756 deaths.
MEASLES.
The number of deaths assigned to Measles was 21, including one death in St. Sepulchre. In
1899 there were only 11 deaths, and 36 in 1898. In London there were 1,936, in comparison with
2,143 in 1899 and 3,075 in 1898.
Closure of St. George the Martyr Infants' School.—Information was received on May 6th, that
119 children out of a total of 220, or 54 per cent., were absent chiefly on account of measles, or measles
in the houses in which children attending the school resided. There were also many cases of whooping
cough. At a meeting of the Sanitary Committee the following day, an order for the closure of the
Schools till the following Monday three weeks was issued. On the opening of the School there were
8 children still away on account of measles, and 20 children on account of whooping cough, or whooping
cough or measles in the house, 5 of the 28 returning, however, during the week of re-opening.
Princeton Street Board School.—Although there were many absences from this school on
account of measles, I did not advise the closure of the Infants' department, as on enquiry I found that
rather less than 10 per cent. of the children in that department were absent for that reason.
Information from Board Schools.—In accordance with the regulations of the School Board for
London many notices giving information of the exclusion of children on account of infectious disease in
the house were received. In preceding years the number of notices thus received was very few.
WHOOPING COUGH.
The death rate in Holborn from Whooping Cough was less than that for London. The number
of deaths in Holborn was only 10. There was no death in St. Sepulchre or Glasshouse Yard. All
the deaths were of children under 5 years of age. The number of deaths in London was 1,948.
DIARRHŒA.
The number of deaths assigned to Diarrhoea was 25, of which 22 were of children under
5 years of age, the great majority being infants under 1 year of age, and took place in the third
or summer quarter.
No death in St. Sepulchre and Glasshouse Yard was assigned to this cause.
Of 3,564 deaths assigned to Diarrhoea in London, 2,867 took place in the third quarter.
The temperature of the summer quarter was 2°•0 above the average of the preceding 129
years, and the rainfall of that quarter was less than the average.