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9
Zymotic Diseases.—Class I.—An increase of 82 deaths
from Zymotic diseases has occurred, in 1879 over those of
1878. The average for the series is 586, so that considering
increase of population, and the fact that the RegistrarGeneral
has taken 53 weeks in this year, our Zymotic
mortality for 1879 is not by any means excessive.
If we examine in detail the special diseases of the
group, we find reason for satisfaction in some particulars.
Excepting one year (1875) the mortality from Small Pox
is the lowest in the series.* Only 4 deaths took place in
the district from this cause; 3 in Battersea, and 1 in
Wandsworth. It is right, however, to state that 48 cases
occurred amongst the union poor (see Table V. Appendix),
and probably a number among the private population, of
which most were removed to Hospitals, and contributed,
no doubt, to the mortality in these institutions. Of those
cases we can obtain no record, though such a record ought,
in the interests of Public Health, to be furnished to the
Medical Officers of Health of the Metropolis. A remarkable
decrease in the fatality from Diarrhoea has occurred
during the year under review. The deaths from this
cause are 20 fewer than those of 1877, which was the
next lowest in the series. No doubt the low temperature
of the year accounts for this falling off in a disease which
usually contributes largely to the epidemic mortality. Except
a trifling decrease upon those of 1878, in the deaths
from Diphtheria and Whooping Cough, the other important
Zymotic diseases shew an increase in fatality. Whooping
Cough, however, was very prevalent. Measles and Scarlatina
were the chief epidemics of the year. The former
caused 37 more deaths than in 1876, when the disease
attained its maximum for this district. The latter shews
*It is a matter of congratulation that the Bill proposed by Mr.
Dodson in the present year (1880) for the amendment of the Vaccination
Act by an inconsistent and incomprehensible abandonment of its compulsory
character, is withdrawn. The overwhelming and determined
opposition it met with, even before it was formally presented, ought to
prove that it was the demand only of a very small but noisy section of
the community.