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sudden outbreak of diphtheria arose in
July among children attending St. Mary's
Schools, no doubt caused by the inclusion
of a child Buffering from sore throat, the
character of which had not been suspected
early enough to ward off serious consequences.
About twenty-four cases rapidly
ensued, but temporary school closure and
other precautionary measures quickly
arrested the mischief.
Isolation Hospital.
This valuable institution received during
the year 230 patients (exclusive of thirteen
cases of diphtheria from Isleworth, two
from Brentford, six cases of scarlatina from
Hanwell, and one from Greenford) of the
infectious notifiable class, and has, as usual,
been satisfactorily administered, and the
patients successfully treated with comparatively
few exceptions of a fatal character.
The number of scarlatina patients admitted
was 138, and of diphtheria ninety-four.
Of the former only two cases ended fatally,
and of the latter eight. Table 3 gives full
details of the total number (333) of notifiable
patients with regard to age, locality,
etc. They included 174 scarlatina eases, 118
cases of diphtheria, nine of enteric fever,
three of puerperal fever, and twenty-nine
of erysipelas. The total zymotic death rate
is thus equal to .82 per thousand living, a
gain of .08 over last year. For England
and Wales it equalled 1.26.
General Diseases.
With regard to the Large class of diseases
included under this heading, I confine myself
to making a few remarks relative to
phtlvsis, which it; answerable for thirtytwo
deaths. I have more than once stated
how satisfactory it would prove to receive
voluntary notification of its presence
amongst the poorer classes, and also I desire
to remind medical men that we are
only too anxious to have the beds at Mount
Vernon Hospital, retained by the Council,
as continuously occupied as possible. Judging
from the mortality, there must be a
considerable number of cases ill our midst
which would be at least benefited, if not
cured, by sanatorium treatment, and it is