View report page

11
The mildest case, moreover, is a source of danger to all, children
especially, who come within the area of its infective power, being
capable of conveying the disease in its worst form. Great obstacles,
however, are experienced in persuading parents to allow their children
to go to the hospital when suffering from scarlet fever, though such
removal is, on an average of years, more necessary for the security of
the public than the removal of cases of small-pox. The disease,
however, is not so loathsome to look upon as small-pox, and from its
comparative frequency does not inspire the same dread.
Diphtheria.—The deaths from this disease (20) were above the
average, and all occurred in the Town sub-district. In more than one
case the disease was imported. The victims were mostly young
children.
Measles.—The deaths from measles, 54 in 1877, were 53 in 1878,
the uncorrected decennial average being 65. Only three of the deaths
were in the Brompton sub-district.
Fever.—The deaths grouped by the Registrar-General under the
common heading, "Fever," are due to one of three several diseases, viz.,
Simple Continued fever, Enteric (or Typhoid) fever, and Typhus fever.
The deaths last year, as registered, were 31, the uncorrected decennial
average being 41.
Typhus Fever.—Three deaths were registered from this cause,—
all in the Town sub-district: there was good reason, however, for questioning
the accuracy of the diagnosis. I entered fully into this
subject in respect of two of the cases in my last Annual Report (page
10), the deaths having occurred at the beginning of the year; it only
remains now, therefore, to notice the third case; that of a child aged
three years, the patient of an unregistered practitioner. I thoroughly
investigated this case, with the result of assuring myself that, whatever
may have been the nature of the fatal disease, it was not typhus.
It may have been enteric fever, but more probably it was a case of
tuberculosis, ending with convulsions. There had been no previous case
in the house, and there was no subsequent case; nor was there anything
in the condition of the house or family to account for the occurence of