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Of the cases certified, 238 or 93.3 percent. were removed to hospital as compared
with a little under 94 percent. in 1902, 88 percent. in 1901, 83 percent. in 1900,
85 in 1899, 86 in 1898, 75 in 1897, 70 in 1896, 60 in 1895*, 65 in 1894, and 37 percent.
in 1893.*
The deaths numbered 7 and the death-rate was 0.05 per 1,000, as compared with
0.06 in 1902, and 0.17 in 1901. In the report for last year it was mentioned that the
death-rate was exceptionally low as regards scarlet fever in Shoreditch during 1902;
it was in fact the lowest recorded for forty years in the Borough. It is satisfactory to
note that the death-rate for 1903 is still lower. The cases certified were at the rate of
2.1 per 1,000 population, as compared with 2.1 in 1902, 4.7 in 1901 and 2.7 in 1900,
The mortality was at the rate of 2.7 percent. of the cases certified, as compared with
33 percent. in 1902, 35 in 1901, 5.4 in 1900, 4.1 in 1899, 4.7 in 1898, 4.9 in 1897,
and 5.4 in 1896. Amongst children under 5 years of age there were 109 cases with 3
deaths, the mortality being 2.7 percent. (or allowing for the cases not regarded as
being scarlet fever at the fever hospitals a little over 3 percent.), as compared with
5.3 percent. in 1902, 6 8 in 1901, 12 in 1900, and 9.1 percent. in 1899. Amongst
persons aged five years and upwards there were 146 cases with 4 deaths, the
mortality being at the rate of 2.7 percent of the cases certified, as compared with
2 percent. in 1902, and 1.7 percent. in 1901. Not only were the cases less numerous
and the death-rate lower in 1903, but the severity of the disease as judged of by the
case mortality was also less than in previous years.
The cases of scarlet fever certified in the Metropolis during 1903 numbered
12,536, the attack-rate being 2.7 per 1,000 inhabitants, as compared with 3.9 in 1902,
During portions of these years owing to lack of accommodation at the fever hospitals many cases
had to be treated at home which would otherwise have been removed.