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There was only one death from the disease, giving a low deathrate
of 0.01 per 1,000 of population and a very low mortality rate
of 1.4 per cent. of cases.
The death-rate from diphtheria is very low compared with
that for England and Wales and with that for London, which were
respectively 0.07 and 0.12 per 1,000 of population.
Facilities for the bacteriological diagnosis of diphtheria are
offered at the Public Health Laboratory which is situated at the
Town Hall and is readily accessible from the whole area. Medical
men are constantly advised not to wait for the bacteriological
results if diphtheria is suspected but to give the specific anti-toxin
treatment at once. In order to facilitate the early administration
of anti-toxin, and thus reduce the mortality from the disease, antitoxin
is provided free for administration to the children of parents
who are not in good financial circumstances. Doctors may obtain
the anti-toxin either at the Town Hall, Ealing, or at Cherington
House, Hanwell, at any time of the day or night. Daring the year
130,000 units of anti-toxin were issued to doctors for use in this way.