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ALCOHOLISM.
71. There were three deaths from alcoholism, one from peripheral
neuritis, and 18 from cirrhosis of the liver, making a total
of 22 deaths probably due to alcohol, compared with 23, 18, 31,
43, and 38, in the five preceding years.
Of the 22 deaths, 15 were males and 7 females.
The diminution of alcoholism, especially among women,
is very satisfactory whatever its cause. Eight deaths occurred
in the first quarter of the year, four in the second, two in the
third, and eight in the fourth.
72. The death-rate from alcoholism, peripheral neuritis,
and cirrhosis of the liver was 0.15, which is lower than it has
been for several years.
SYPHILIS.
73. There were 7 deaths from Syphilis, compared with 3, 9, 9,
5 and 5, in the five preceding years. 5 of these occurred in
public institutions. All but one were infants under one year.
There were, in addition, 14 deaths from general paralysis, tabes
dorsalis (locomotor ataxy) and aneurism, (diseases which are considered
to be due to syphilis) compared with 29, 23, 27 and 17,
in the four preceding years.
OPHTHALMIA NEONATORUM
(Inflammation of the eyes of the new-born. The bad cases are
usually due to Venereal Disease in a parent.)
74. Notification of this disease is compulsory on Medical men,
under the Public Health (London) Act, and on Midwives under an
Local Government Board Order. Midwives are paid 1/- for each
case notified.
41 cases were notified, compared with 14, 18, 19, and 33
in the four preceding years. The case-rate was 15.2 per 1,000
births. Two cases were removed to hospital and two were treated
as hospital out-patients. The others were all reported to be receiving
effectual treatment at home. The district nurses attended
15.
29