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12
By The Poor Law Act 1889, the managers of the Metropolitan
Asylums Board are empowered by statute to
receive into their hospitals any person, whether pauper or
not, who is known to be suffering from Fever, Small-pox
or Diphtheria. By another provision they are enabled
to allow their carriages to be used as ambulances for the
conveyance of persons suffering from any dangerous infectious
disorder, to and from places, other than their own
hospitals.
In examining the Zymotic mortality in detail, it is
found that the great diminution of last year has taken
place principally in the incidence of Whooping Cough,
Measles and Diphtheria. Only 30 deaths from Diphtheria
were registered as compared with 53 during the previous
year. This diminution is highly satisfactory, and especially
when we bear in mind the prevalence of this disease
throughout London generally. The excess in the
number of deaths from Diphtheria is the most prominent
fact brought out by the Registrar General's returns of
Zymotic diseases for London. During the year the mortality
from all other zymoticdiseaseswasdecidedlyless. This
increase in the prevalence and fatality of Diphtheria does
not appear to be due to a passing epidemic. During
the six preceding years a similar excess was recorded.
The increase is not confined to London but is also observed
in the 28 great Towns of England and Wales. This
would seem to indicate that some more or less permanent
cause must be at work. It is of importance to note in
connection with this disease that it has been more prevalent
in the Sanitary area of Lambeth than in any other
district of London. This district touches us on the side
of Clapham and it is natural to suppose that this sub-district
has thereby suffered more than the other part of
the Wandsworth area,