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already been made, or is about to be made in adjoiningdistricts,
and I am of opinion that ere long it will be
advisable that this matter should receive careful consideration
by the Council of this borough.
Old Age.
One hundred and seventy persons died over
seventy years of age; sixty-nine over eighty years;
and eight ninety years and upwards.
Inquests.
Inquests were held on twenty-nine occasions. The
verdicts returned the causes of death as "accidental"
in ten cases, "natural causes" in sixteen, and
"suicide" in three instances.
Notifiable Disease.
A considerable number of these disorders have
to be noted; their distribution gives no evidence of an
epidemic type, and for some considerable periods
during the summer and early autumn there was a
marked absence of these notifiable diseases. They
prevailed above the average in number throughout
the country, and in our borough were more numerous
during the first and last quarters of the year. The
largest proportion of the scarlatina cases appeared to
be of a sporadic character, as careful investigation
failed to show in a large majority of the cases the
origin of the infection.
The number of notifications received was 271,
being an increase of seventy-seven over the previous
year, and they are thus classified, viz., scarlatina, 160
(being 52 in excess of 1908); diphtheria, 48 (an excess
of five compared with 1908); erysipelas, 35 ; enteric
fever, 6; puerperal fever, 4; pulmonary tuberculosis,
18. These latter cases, as I have stated, are notified
by Poor Law medical officers, and appear for the first
time in the category. At present, pulmonary tuberculosis,
with the above exceptions, is only voluntarily
notifiable, and I should be glad to receive intimation