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ultimately proved not to be enteric fever at all, the one proving
to be art obscure form of colitis, and the other pneumonia, and
lastly, one was imported from Italy.
SCARLET FEVER.
Five hundred and seventy-eight cases were notified, and
fifteen deaths occurred, which give a case mortality of 2.6 per
cent.
Last year the notifications reached 1,006, and 25 deaths
occurred, the case mortality being 2.5 per cent.
Our death-rate from scarlet fever is .12, that of England and
Wales .08, and the 76 great towns .10.
DIPHTHERIA.
Two hundred and nineteen cases were notified, with 18 deaths,
a case mortality of 8.2 per cent. Last year the notifications
amounted to 333, with 49 deaths, a case mortality of 14.7 per cent.
The provision of antitoxin by the Council free of charge has
been made extensive use of by medical practitioners, and I am
of opinion that this has played a material part in the lowering of
the case mortality.
In passing, it is interesting to note that one now hears little
or no opposition on the part of the public to the injection of serum,
whereas the opposition to vaccination shows no diminution ; this is,
of course, somewhat inconsistent, but no doubt the presence of