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being highest in Whitmore, where it amounted to 3.0, and lowest in Moorfields,
where it was 1.2 per 1,000 inhabitants. Disinfection in connection with phthisis
cases is undertaken by the Sanitary Authority whenever they may be called upon
to disinfect. This, however, is but seldom. Efforts are also made to get the necessary
measures as to disinfection carried out by the Sanitary Authority after all deaths in
private houses in the Borough, but not always with success. A large proportion
of the deaths from phthisis occur in public institutions. In such the measures to
be taken are matters for the authorities of the institutions, but in the case of
institutions within the Borough bedding has been disinfected by the Sanitary Authority
at the request of the authorities. During the year measures were taken for the
disinfection of 79 houses in which cases of phthisis occurred.
The deaths from tuberculosis in the metropolis numbered 9,312 yielding a deathrate
of 1.9 per 1,000 inhabitants. Of these some 6,854 were attributed to consumption,
the death-rate being 1.4 per 1000 inhabitants. From these figures it will be seen that
the mortality from tuberculosis was 47 per cent. higher in Shoreditch than in the
metropolis, whilst for phthisis it was 40 per cent. higher.
CEREBRO SPINAL FEVER.
In March of the year under consideration the above disease, which is also
known under the names of epidemic cerebro spinal meningitis and spotted fever,
was made a notifiable disease in the metropolis by the London County Council under
the provisions of Section 56 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, for a period
of six months, which period was further extended for another 18 months in September.
Cases classed as basal meningitis, when not due to tubercle or ear disease, are also
notifiable. The specific micro organism of the disease is here referred to as the
meningococcus.
The following are, briefly, particulars as to the cases certified as cerebro spinal
fever during the year:—
(1) A child, female, aged 4½, daughter of a journeyman baker, residing at
21, L— Street, certified March 12, removed to hospital, died. Postmortem
examination revealed tuberculous meningitis. The meningococcus
was not found. The house in which this case occurred was
in a satisfactory sanitary condition.
(2) A child, female, aged 9 years, father of no occupation, residing at 20,
T—Place, certified April 2nd, removed to hospital, died. Postmortem
showed pneumonia and meningitis, but there was no statement
as to the presence of the meningococcus. The house occupied was
dirty and verminous.
(3) A child, female, aged 4 years, daughter of a labourer of 45, M—
Street, certified April 8th, not removed to hospital, died. No postmortem
examination and no bacteriological examination made. A sister
died a few weeks before from pneumonia and convulsions following
measles. The house occupied was verminous,