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39
Diphtheria has evidently been of trivial importance in the mortality
among infants, a material factor in that among young children
from 1—5, and a large factor in the death-rate among children
of school age. There has been some decrease at all ages since
1910, though there is a tendency to rise again in the latest period
under review. This corresponds with the increase to be noted in
the proportion of deaths occurring among notified cases of the
disease, at all ages 0 to 15, in the period 1916-21, as compared with
1911-15.
Scarlet Fever has had no part in the mortality of infancy ; and
it has had a comparatively trivial share in the mortality at ages 1—5
and 5—15. As a death-dealing agency it has been of relatively
small importance during the 21 years under review. It has not
varied appreciably in its effect on the young children of 5 and
under; it decreased in importance during the years 1911-15 In
regard to mortality among children aged 5—15, but the death-rate
again increased somewhat during the period 1916-21.
It has not in any case approached the same order of importance
as diphtheria as a factor in the death-rate of childhood.
Measles is shewn to be a factor of small importance in the
death-rate in infancy, and in the period 5—15, but of large importance
in the mortality at ages 1—5. There was no decrease in its
influence during the years 1901-15, but a curiously large and inexplicable
drop in its potency during the period 1916-21. It is doubtful
whether this represents a corresponding diminution in the
malign influence of measles; it is probably that the period happened
not to include one of the larger periodic outbreaks experienced
with this disease.
Whooping Cough has been a somewhat more important factor
than measles in the infant mortality, but considerably less important
than measles during the period 1—5. I here has been a steady
and considerable decrease since 1901-5 in the power of whooping
cough to produce death at ages of 5 and under.
(c) Tuberculosis, all forms. Tuberculosis is a comparatively
small factor—as large as whooping cough and larger than measles
—in the mortality among infants. It is a considerable factor in the
death-rate for children aged 1—5, and an important one in that for
children aged 5—15.