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5
great towns it was as high as 140. I have on
several previous occasions commented on this
regrettable waste cf infant life, due, without
doubt, in no inconsiderable degree to ignorance
on the part of mothers in the matter of feeding,
rearing, and general care cf these young children.
The feeding is too generally of a ?nost
injudicious character, and accounts for a considerable
proportion of the mortality. I hope
before long to refer again to this subject, and
bring it under your notice in greater detail and
with certain recommendations. Table No. 5
gives detailed statistics of these infantile deaths,
tabulated according to age and causation.
Old Age.
The number of persons who died above sixtyfive
years of age was 146. many of whom attained
very advanced age, viz., forty-seven over eighty,
and seven over ninety years ot age.
Zymotic Disease.
Of the seven chief epidemic diseases, often
termed zymotic, forty-even deaths occurred
during the year, viz.:—Small pox, 0; scarlatina,
2; enteric fever, 3; diphtheria, 6; measles, 13;
whooping cough 5; diarrhoea. 18; of which last
fourteen were infants under ono year. The so
called zymotic death rate, or death from the
seven chief epidemic diseases, for the past year
equalled 1.02 per 1.000 persons living, as compared
with 1.5 in 1904. For England and Wales
it was 1.52.
Scarlatina.
In common with adjoining and other districts,
scarlatina was more or less prevalent during the
year, but never assumed an epidemic form, although
considerable outbreaks of the disease occurred
at one period in connection with a private
school, but the total number of cases was
fewer than in 1904.
Diphtheria.
Diphtheria attacks show a large increase over
the previous year, but here again never assumed
an epidemic character, being almost without exception
sporadic, and with no definite common
or ascertained cause for their production. In
this connection 1 would remind my medical
brethren that the Council recently sanctioned
the free supply of anti-toxin in the case of necessitous
patients, and I beg to express the hope
that this most valuable adjunct to treatment,
when early used, will now be inveriably adopted.