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43
ALCOHOLISM.
There were 4 deaths certified during the year as due to alcoholism. Year after
year the number so certified has been quite small, and in 1919 there were none.
Cirrhosis of the liver, a condition in most cases probably resulting from abuse of
alcohol, was held to be accountable for 10 deaths.
The deaths from other conditions due to the irritation produced in various organs
by chronic alcoholism, e.g., nephritis (inflammation of the kidneys) and Bright's
disease of the kidneys, numbered 29. The number in 1919 was 39.
ACCIDENT, SUICIDE AND MANSLAUGHTER.
Accidental or violent deaths during 1920 numbered 60. Of these 9 were due
to suicide. Deaths of babies certified as resulting from suffocation (overlaying)
numbered 2.
PREVALENCE OF AND CONTROL OVER INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
A table showing, with regard to the infections, the total number of notifications
received, the age distribution and the number of cases notified from each of the
four registration districts, will be found on page 72.
The total number of notifications coming to hand was 1,051. The bulk of the
notifications related to scarlet fever, which contributed 435 to the total. Other
diseases in respect of which fairly large numbers of notifications were received were
tuberculosis (246), diphtheria (119), and pneumonia (71).
In 1919 the number of cases notified was 1,802, the rise in that year being partly
the result of an increase in the number of cases of measles and German measles
brought to notice, and the addition of other diseases, especially pneumonia and
malaria, to the list of diseases notifiable.
The notification rate (proportion to population of notified cases of infectiou
diseases) in 1920 was 10'3 per 1,000 as against 18'9 in 1919.
Isolation of Cases.—During the year though scarlet fever was rather
prevalent, there was little difficulty in securing isolation in hospital for persons
suffering from infectious disease, and as the following table shows, the number of
cases removed was as high as usual —
•
Diphtheria 112 or 94.1 per cent, of the cases notified.
Erysipelas 37 „ 54.4 „ „ ,,
Scarlet Fever 423 ,, 97.2 „ „ ,,
Enteric Fever 24 ,, 82.7 „ „ ,,
Cerebro-spinal Meningitis 2 ,, 100.0 ,, ,, „
Ophthalmia Neonatorum 9 „ 19.5 „ ,, ,,
Puerperal Fever 3 „ 50.0 ,, ,, ,,
Tuberculosis 71 „ 28.8 „ „ ,,
Malaria 1 „ 5.5 „ ,, „
Pneumonia 19 „ 26.7 ,, „ ,,
The cost of carrying out the requirements of the Public Health (London) Act,
1891, and the various regulations with regard to notification was £88 2s. 6d. equal
to 17s. 3d. per 1,000 of the population.