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16
Medical Officers of Health Annual Report.
18.4 per cent., which is higher than in the two preceding
years, when there was comparatively little prevalence of
Diphtheria, and much lower than in 1893 and 1894, both
epidemic years, with case mortalities of 24.5 and 25.3
respectively. Therefore, though there was a great deal
of the disease present during the year, it was of a distinctly
milder type than it has been in former epidemics.
The death-rate per thousand living was 0.57, in
Battersea it was 0.63, in Lambeth, 0.48; and in the
whole of London, 0.50; so that this District has, unfortunately,
experienced proportionately an undue mortality
from Diphtheria in 1897.
Enteric Fever.
The number of deaths from this cause was 16
only, one less than in the previous year, and
less than in any year since 1892. The number of notifications
was 100, however, two more than last year but
also less than the three previous years. There were also
5 notifications of Continued Fever with 1 death, and
these are in all probability the same disease. The deathrate
per thousand living was 0.08, whilst for the whole
of London it was 0.13. The lowness of the mortality
from this cause is a matter of satisfaction, as there is not
uncommonly an association of it with sanitary defects.
Puerperal
Fever.
There were 5 deaths from this cause, one
more than in the previous year, but less than
the average for the last ten years. The number notified
was 9, also less than the average. It is somewhat
striking to notice the large proportion of deaths to cases
notified; it seems to show, what is probably the case,
that only a somewhat small proportion of the cases of
Puerperal Fever that occur are reported; this is perhaps
natural, and it is not easy to suggest any means of bringing
about a more complete compliance with the law in
this respect.