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the brain and nervous system (excluding meningitis), heart,
blood vessels, and kidneys, of which a large proportion was
certainly caused directly or indirectly by alcohol. The deaths
from these causes in the five preceding years were 346, 335,
343, 377, and 395, respectively. The increase last year was
chiefly in deaths from cerebral haemorrhage.
It is Satisfactory to find that the deaths due to alcoholism
have shown a steady diminution in England and Wales from
113 per million in 1900 to 45 in 1911. Cirrhosis of the liver
has diminished from 144 to 91.
89. The death-rate from alcoholism and cirrhosis of the
liver was 014 in the Borough, and in 1911, 0'14 in
England and Wales.
SYPHILIS.
90. There were 9 deaths from syphilis, compared with 7,
10, 7, 6, and 3, in the five preceding years. All but one of
these occurred in public institutions. Five were infants
under two years. There were, in addition, 29 deaths from
general paralysis, tabes dorsalis (locomotor-ataxy), and
aneurism, diseases which are considered to be usually due
to syphilis, compared with 25 and 30 in the two preceding
years. These figures are far from representing the total
mortality caused by venereal disease. Many of the deaths
from epilepsy, congenital debility, and other diseases of the
brain, heart, blood vessels, and other organs, are doubtless
due to this cause.
The question of instructing patients and the public generally
as to the prevention of venereal disease has been under the
consideration of the Public Health Committee, and by their