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51
DIPHTHERIA.
During 1900, 101 deaths were registered in Lambeth
from Diphtheria, as compared with 153 during 1899, and
an annual average of 124.5 for the last ten years (1890 to
1899).
844 cases were notified during 1900. as compared with
1081 in 1899, and an annual average of 6637 for the ten
years, 1890 to 1899.
Of the 844 cases notified, 598 were removed to hospital
and 246 were treated at their homes. The case mortality
per cent. for the year is, therefore, 11.9, varying from 12.8
to 10.6, according as the cases were treated at hospital or at
home respectively, a slight difference, in all probability, to
be explained, as usual, by the greater severity of the cases
sent to hospital, especially when it is remembered that the
antitoxin treatment in hospital is beginning to have a
favourable effect, by lowering the Diphtheria death-rate
amongst the patients treated there.*
The case mortality rate, as a whole, for Lambeth is low,
pointing in part to the mildness of the majority of the
cases, more especially in Lambeth Church 1st and Brixton,
where the case mortality was 7.4% and 9.3% respectively
In many instances outbreaks of mild throat trouble
were again noted, showing that in all probability, many
cases of unsuspected Diphtheria were the means of
spreading the disease. In the 469 cases that were submitted
to bacteriological examination, true diphtheria
bacilli were found in 20.3%.
The age and sex incidence and mortality from Diphtheria
cases notified in Lambeth during 1900, are as follow:—
* 130 bottles of anti-toxin have been gratuitously distributed in Lambeth
Parish during 1900, with moat satisfactory results.
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