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6
I referred in my last report to the fact that notification
of this latter disease among certain classes
had been adopted, but the number is a small proportion
only of the total. However, it enables the sani
tary authority in many instances to afford advice as to
the precautions which should be adopted; and "spit
bottles" or cups are loaned when needful, and the
necessary disinfectants supplied. Disinfection of
rooms, bedding, etc., is done in all cases where practicable.
In the course of the year I suggested to the
Public Health Committee that as pulmonary tuberculosis
is largely spread by material discharged by the
lungs when coughing, it would be desirable to have
notices exhibited prohibiting spitting in public places,
and I am glad to record that this has been determined
on. Our arrangements with Mount Vernon Hospital
is taken advantage of by those phthisical patients recommended
for such treatment, although necessarily
in numbers limited to the amount of accommodation.
Thirteen patients were recommended for admission
during the year, many deriving much benefit; but it is
regrettable that in many instances patients do not come
under observation sufficiently early, and, of course,
when the disease is considerably advanced, the treatment
is necessarily palliative instead of curative, as in
the earlier stages. The average stay of these thirteen
patients in the hospital was sixty days.
From these observations on the chief mortality
causes of the year, there is evidence to show that had
it not been for the exceptional epidemic influences at
work in connection with measles and whooping cough,
our death-rate would have shown no falling off, slight
as it is, compared with that of the previous year.
Infantile Mortality.
With regard to the infantile mortality of ninety
deaths, it is exceedingly satisfactory to be able to show
such a material reduction in the death-rate, this being
the lowest I have yet had to record. During the past
year this death-rate fell to 76.0 per 1,000 births