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35
nised that it is just as important, from the point of view
of health, to keep children at home when ill, as it is,
from, the point of view of education, to get them to
school when well. The Education Committee of the
London County Council have been considering the
question, and a proposal to abolish the medal system
has been mooted. The Council, however, decided
instead to amend the rules in reference to the award of
medals."
This was done, and the London County Council have since revised
this rule, so that absence on account of illness will not in
future be a barrier to obtaining the medal.
Diphtheria.
49. 275 cases of Diphtheria were notified, compared with 163,
273, and 387 in the three preceding years. The case-rate (number
of cases per thousand population) corrected for cases of mistaken
diagnosis of which 39 were noted was 1.83. The rate has only
been twice lower since 1894, viz., in 1903 and 1904. 24 of the
notified cases were bacteriological, i.e., had no symptoms.
50. There were 15 deaths, compared with 29, 18, and 23 in
the three preceding years. The death-rate was 0.12; the rate was
lower in 1903 (viz., 0.11), but higher in all the remaining years
since 1891 (see Table V.). The London death-rate was 0.16. The
death-rate in the 76 great Towns was 0.18.
51. Seventy-four cases were in Woolwich Parish, 181 in Plumstead,
and 20 in Eltham.

c 2