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18
ALCOHOLISM.
The number of deaths certified as directly due to alcoholism was 1 as against 4
in 1914. Cirrhosis of the liver, a condition in most cases probably resulting from
abuse of alcohol, was held to be accountable for 20 deaths as against 18 in the
previous year.
The combined figure for these two causes is lower by 1 than for 1914, viz., 21
against 22. The deaths from other conditions due possibly to chronic alcoholism,
e.g., nephritis (inflammation of the kidneys) and Bright's disease of the kidneys,
numbered 57 (.56 per 1,000). The number in 1914 was 68.
RECORDS OF DISEASE.
The diseases considered under this heading are (1) those made compulsorily
notifiable by Section 55 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891; (2) diseases
declared to be notifiable under Orders made by the London County Counci1; (3)
tuberculosis, notifiable under Regulations of the Local Government Board, and
(4) certain other diseases which though not notifiable are infectious, viz., measles,
whooping cough, and diarrhœa. The diseases named in the Public Health (London)
Act are smallpox, cholera, diphtheria, membranous croup, erysipelas, scarlet fever,
typhus, typhoid or enteric, relapsing, continued and puerperal fevers.
Those added by the London County Council are cerebro-spinal fever, glanders,
anthrax, hydrophobia, acute polio-encephalitis and myelitis and ophthalmia
neonatorum.
The records as to the infectious but non-notifiable diseases—measles,whooping
cough, etc.—are based mainly on information obtained by the Women Inspectors
who investigated all cases coming to the knowledge of the Medical Officer of Health
through special returns from school teachers, and the local Registrars.
A special table relating to the Infectious Diseases—Table II. of the Local
Government Board series—will be found on page 62.
Information additional to that given there is set out below.
Notifications. The total number of notifications received during 1915 was
1,507. Especially in the case of tuberculosis, many of the notifications were
duplicates, and the actual number of cases notified was 1,109. The number notified
in 1914 was 1,299, so that there is a decrease of 190 from the previous year.
The notification rate (proportion to population of notified cases of infectious
diseases) was 11. per 1,000 as against 11.5 in 1914.
*The regulations making measles a notifiable disease did not come into operation until the 1st
January, 1916.