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35
ALCOHOLISM.
One death was certified during the year as due to alcoholism. Year after
year the number so certified has been quite small, and in 1923 there were three
deaths. Cirrhosis of the liver, a condition in most cases probably resulting from
abuse of alcohol, was held to be accountable for 15 deaths, nearly treble the
number in the previous year.
The deaths from conditions sometimes 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 44, as against 42 for the year 1925.
ACCIDENT, SUICIDE AND MANSLAUGHTER.
Accidental or violent deaths during 1926 numbered 72. Of these 13 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 66.
The total number of notifications coming to hand was 674, which is higher
by 5 than the figure (669) for 1925. The bulk of the notifications related to
tuberculosis, which contributed 181 to the total. Other diseases in respect of
which fairly large numbers of notifications were received were scarlet fever (121),
diphtheria (193), and pneumonia (86).
The notification rate (proportion to population of notified cases of infectious
diseases) in 1926 was 6.2 per 1,000, as against 6.3 in 1925.
Isolation of Cases.—As the following table shows, the number of cases
removed was as high as usual:—
Diphtheria 184 or 95.3 per cent, of the cases notified.
Erysipelas 18 „ 44.0 „ ,, „
Scarlet Fever 117 „ 96.7 „ „ „
Enteric and Paratyphoid
Fever 9 „ 81.8 „ „ „
Encephalitis Lethargica 1 „ 33.3 „ „ „
Tuberculosis 66 ,, 36 5 „ ,, „
Pneumonia 31 „ 86.0 „ „ ,,
Puerperal Fever 12 ,, 100.0 „ „ „
The cost of carrying out the requirements of the Public Health (London) Act,
1891, and the various regulations with regard to notification was £49 Is. 6d.,
equal to 9s. 3d. per 1,000 of the population.