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26
measles and whooping cough.
These diseases are not notifiable, but I am able through the
School Attendance Officer to give you a fairly correct idea of the
number of cases of these two diseases, occurring in the children
of school age, namely:-
Measles. Whooping Cough.
Central Ward. 53 46
Child's Hill Ward 68 74
Mill Hill Ward 3 5
Total 124 125
In the previous year the district was particularly free from
these complaints, and it cannot be said that this year there has
been any epidemic form of these diseases, for in 1896 there were
601 cases of measles alone.
diarrhœa.
This disease has been very prevalent during the year. During
very hot seasons, such as that we experienced during July,
August, and September, diarrhoea becomes prevalent, as a rule,
more or less according to the degree of temperature reached.
The past year was one of exceptional severity and resulted in a
large mortality all over England. Hendon suffered severely, it
commenced at the beginning of August and continued without
intermission up to the end of September. As this complaint is
not notifiable I am unable to give you a return of the number of
cases or the proportion of deaths to attacks. In the death
returns it was variously named under such terms as dysenteric
diarrhoea, choleraic diarrhcea, gastro-enteritis, &c. During the
period of the epidemic a large number of children were assigned
by the different medical men as dying from "Atrophy," and I have
little doubt some of these cases had diarrhœcal symptoms as well.