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The death-rate in each year since 1868 in relation to the mean death-rate of the period
1869-1900 is shown in diagram XVII.
Seven persons were notified as suffering from typhus during 1900. It appears, however,
that there were six actual cases of the disease. The first was a child aged nine years, who was
admitted into the Eastern Hospital on the 6th February, from a house in Dorset-street, Whitechapel,
in which, in November of the previous year, two cases of this disease had occurred.
The second case was that of a boiler-maker and stevedore in Poplar, who had been working in
Millwall Docks. He was removed to the Eastern Hospital on the 4th May. The source of his
infection was not discovered. The third case was a Board School teacher in Islington, and
occurred in June; the source of infection was not discovered. The fourth case was a nurse in the
Chelsea Infirmary, who was taken ill on the 24th August; the source of her infection was not
discovered. The fifth was a gas-fitter's assistant in Hackney, who was taken ill on the 24th
August, and was removed to the Eastern Hospital on a certificate that he was suffering from
enteric fever. In the hospital his disease was recognised to-be typhus; the source of infection was
not discovered. The sixth case was that of a woman living in Peabody-buildings, in Eburystreet,
St. George, Hanover-square. Her illness was at first certified to be enteric fever, and
she was removed to the Tooting Hospital, when the disease was recognised as typhus. Some two
weeks before she was taken ill her husband had died of " capillary bronchitis." A woman also
died in August, the cause of death being certified to be typhus. She had lived in Paddington,
where she was in service. Much doubt attaches to the nature of her illness.
Enteric Fever.
The number of cases of enteric fever notified in the Administrative County of London
during 1900 (52 weeks) was 4,317, compared with 4,467 in 1899; the number of deaths from
this disease belonging to the administrative county was 717 compared with 759 in 1899.
The rates per 1,000 living in 1900 and preceding periods were as follows—
Enteric fever.
Period.
Death-rate per
1,000 living.
Case-rate per
1,000 living.
Case mortality
per cent.
1871-80
0.24
*
-
1881-90
019
*
-
1891
0.121
0.8
15.6
1892
0.101
0.6
17.2
1893
0.161
0.9
18.4
1894
0.141
0.8
18.1
1895
0.141
0.8
17.0
1896
0.131
0.7
17.6
1897
0.131
0.7
18.0
1898
0.121
0.7
18.3
1899
0.171
1.0
17.0
1900
0.161
1.0
16.6
The death-rate in each year since 1868 in relation to the mean death-rate of the period
1869-1900 is shown in diagram XVIII., and the seasonal prevalence of the disease in 1900 and in
the period 1890-1900 is shown in diagram XXI., while diagram XX. shows the monthly case-rate
and case mortality in each of the years 1891-1900 in relation to the mean of the whole period. The
relation of enteric fever mortality to season will also be seen on reference to diagram V. (F.),
page 15, showing the average weekly deaths occurring from the disease in the 30 years 1871-1900.
In the distribution of enteric fever mortality throughout the year 1900 the northern
and eastern groups of districts were above and the western and central groups below the
average of London. Of the several districts Bermondsey has the highest death-rate (0.33)
and St. Olave, Southwark, the lowest, no deaths, belonging to the latter district, occurring
during the year. During the first quarter of the year the eastern group of districts had the
highest death-rate and the central group the lowest; during the second quarter the southern
group of districts had the highest death-rate and the eastern group the lowest; during the
third quarter the eastern group of districts had the highest death-rate and the western group
the lowest; during the fourth quarter of the year the northern group of districts had the
highest death-rate and the central group the lowest.
The case-rates of each sanitary district in 1891-9 and in 1900, and the death-rates in
1900 and the preceding ten years are shown in the following table—
* The Infectious Diseases (Notification) Act came into force in 1889.
1 See footnote (1), page 5.