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15
1901. 1902. 1903.
Small Pox 13 701 1
Scarlatina 156 179 119
Enteric Fever 65 86 28
Diphtheria 40 58 18
Puerperal Fever 443
Membraneous Croup 221
Erysipelas 54 66 63
Chicken Pox — 188 141
334 1284 377
The coloured diagramatic chart shows the number
of notifications received month by month of the chief
infectious diseases.
Apart from the almost entire absence of smallpox
it will be noted that there is a great decrease in
the numbers of the important notifiable infectious
diseases as compared with the last two years. This
decrease is most marked in the case of diphtheria
which, as Dr. Newsholme has pointed out, is a disease
that is greatly influenced by the rainfall. It flourishes
best where the conditions are in favour of dryness and
the formation of dust, and is a disease of comparatively
rare occurrence in districts where the rainfall is excessive.
Here, again, we have a striking demonstration of
the beneficent influence of a wet year.
The Case Mortality Rate—that is the percentage
of cases dying to those notified—is as follows:—