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10
SICKNESS AMONGST THE POOR.
The cases coming under the treatment of the district medical officers
in connection with the poor law dispensary during 1908 numbered 4,453,
as compared with 4,380 in 1!)()7, 4,107 in 1906 and 4,014 in 1905. An analysis
of the cases is contained in Table VIII. (appendix). The diseases classed
as infectious accounted for 707 of the cases, as compared with 763 for 1907.
Consumption, influenza, diarrhoea, measles, scarlet fever and erysipelas
accounted for most of the infectious cases. The number treated for consumption
was practically the same as for the previous two years. As compared
with the figures for 1907 there were increases in the numbers of cases of
influenza and diarrhoea, and marked decreases in those of measles and erysipelas.
The cases of scarlet fever were also fewer. Diseases of the respiratory organs,
which are largely the result of infection, were responsible for 1,268 of the
cases, this number being one hundred more than for 1907, and considerably
above the average for the past 16 years. Bronchitis caused 1,143 and
pneumonia 79 of these cases. Rheumatism was given as the cause of illness
in 335 and gout in 90 of the cases, the latter number being considerably above
the average for the previous 16 years. Dyspepsia and other disorders of the
digestive system accounted for 448 of the cases. Cases of cancer were below
the average for the previous 16 years, numbering 14, as compared with 20 in
1907, 43 in 1906, 37 in 1905, 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. There was a considerable increase in the number of cases of
diseases of the locomotive system. Diseases of the skin and of the urinary
organs remained about the same in point of numbers as in 1907.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
The infectious diseases included under the headings numbered 1 to 35
inclusive and 171 in Table VI. (Appendix) resulted in 622 deaths as compared
with 747 in 1907, 776 in 1906, 717 in 1905, 791 in 1904, 762 in 1903,
767 in 1902 and 762 in 1901. The deaths from these diseases were, therefore,
much below the average for the previous 7 years. They amounted to 30.7 per
cent, of the deaths from all causes, as compared with 31.5 per cent for 1907.
The marked decrease in the number of deaths from these infectious diseases
mainly resulted from the comparatively small number of deaths from measles
and whooping cough. The deaths from diarrhoea were also below the average.
The deaths from consumption and other forms of disease caused by the
tubercle bacillus amounted to 50 per cent, of the whole. Of the remainder,