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Of the cases certified, over 96 per cent, were removed to hospital, as
compared with 94 per cent, in 1907, 91 per cent, in 1906, 93 per cent, in 1905,
94 in 1904, 88 in 1903, 84 in 1902, 83 in 1901, 86 in 1900, 80 in 1899, 77 in
1898, 67 in 1897, and 65 in 1896. The cases certified were at the rate of 1.7
per 1,000 inhabitants,, as compared with a rate of 1.8 for the previous year.
The attack-rate, according to the cases certified, was highest in Moorfields
Ward and lowest in Acton, being 3.7 per 1,000 inhabitants in the former and
1.0 in the latter.
The deaths numbered 13, the death-rate being 0.11 per 1,000, as compared
with 0.17 in 1907, 0.12 in 1906, 0.14 in 1905, 0.16 in 1904, 0.18 in 1903, 0.18 in
1902, 0.23 in 1901, 0.45 in 1900, and 0.52 in 1899. The rate for 1908 is one
of the lowest, if not the lowest, recorded during the past fifty years. The
death-rates due to this disease in the wards of the Borough are contained in
Table VII. (Appendix). The rate was highest in Moorfields Ward. No
deaths from diphtheria occurred amongst the inhabitants of Acton and
Haggerston Wards.
The case-mortality was 6.4 per cent, of the cases certified (7.8 allowing
for cases not regarded as diphtheria at the fever hospitals). In 1907 the casemortality
was 9.5, in 1906 it was 10.5, in 1905 it was 15.2, and in 1904 it was
10.3 per cent. The case mortalities for previous years are contained in the
report for 1906. The rate for 1908 is the lowest so far recorded for Shoreditch.
Of the 13 deaths in 1908„ 10 were of children under five years of age,
the mortality being at the rate of 9.5 per cent, of the cases certified amongst
children belonging to that age period (11 per cent, allowing for cases not regarded
as diphtheria at the hospitals), as compared with 15.6 per cent, in 1907,
16 in 1906, 14.7 in 1905, 16.3 in 1904, 23.8 in 1903, 20.5 in 1902, 15.4 in 1901,
22.7 in 1900, 34.2 in 1899, 29.5 in 1898, 36.0 in 1897, 31.8 in 1896, 47.5 in 1895,
43.0 in 1894, and 61.0 in 1893. The contrast between the mortality of 1908
and that of 1893 is very striking. The case-mortality amongst persons over
five years of age was a little over 3 per cent, of the cases certified, but deducting
cases not regarded as diphtheria the mortality was 4 per cent. The whole
of the deaths from diphtheria were of children under the age of ten years.
The usual enquiries were made as to the circumstances attending the
occurrence of diphtheria in the Borough. With respect to 184 of the cases
b