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VIII. (appendix). The diseases classed as infectious accounted for 668 of the cases,
and included 220 of consumption, 99 diarrhoea, 46 whooping cough, 84 influenza, 70
measles, and 24 of scarlet fever. There was an increase in the number of cases of
diarrhcea and decreases in the numbers of cases of measles and influenza as compared
with the figures for 1904. Diseases of the respiratory system, which to a very large
extent result from infection, were responsible for 1,083 cases, as compared with 1,150 in
1904, the cases of bronchitis numbering 951, and of pneumonia 60. The cases of
rheumatic fever, which is now pretty generally held to> be a disease due to microbic
infection, were 32 in number, as compared with 28 for the previous year. There were
308 cases of rheumatism and 62 of gout. Disorders of the digestive organs were sources
of trouble in 425 cases, of which the major proportion were cases of dyspepsia.
There were 88 cases of enteritis or gastro-enteritis as compared with 73 for the previous
year. This disorder was almost entirely confined to infnats. Alcoholism was
recorded as the cause of illness in 16 cases, but as stated in previous reports alcohol
directly or indirectly causes much more ill-health amongst the poor than would appear
to be indicated by the actual number of cases stated to be due to alcoholism.
The cases of cancer were more numerous than in previous years, being 37, as compared
with 27 in 1904, 30 in 1903, 12 in 1902, 31 in 1901, 33 in 1900, 18 in 1899, 9 in
1898, 15 in 1897, 21 in 1896, 15 in 1895, 27 in 1894, and 23 in 1893. Diseases of
the locomotive system were causes of trouble in 165 cases, of the skin in 96 cases, of
the brain and nervous system in 253 caess, and heart disease with other troubles of the
circulator)' system in 149 cases. In 149 instances the patients were simply suffering
from the effects of old age. In 108 cases the patients attended the dispensary on account
of injuries. In 295 cases the patients were suffering from marasmus, debility, and
other causes not classified in the table.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES.