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certain deaths, which formerly would have been ascribed to other
causes, have been put to the credit of diphtheria, which, at the date
referred to, acquired a painful prominence arising out of the fatal issue
to the Princess Alice's illness. One thing that has struck me very
forcibly is the sporadic character of the disease, and the rarity of
serious outbreaks, or groups of cases in localities, or even in houses
where it makes its appearance; and this, notwithstanding the contagious
character justly ascribed to the malady, and the obvious neglect of
measures for preventing the spread of contagion:—many of the fatal
cases, moreover, having occurred in circumstances which rendered any
such measures well nigh impracticable, owing to the limited accommodation
at the disposal of the people. Be this as it may, my experience
in respect of diphtheria is very different to that of practitioners who
have reported veritable and diffused outbreaks in country places. Of
the 26 deaths, 15 were of children under five, and 10 of children
between 5 and 15. One death, of a "contractor," occurred at 55 years
of age. Twenty-two of the deceased were children of artizans,
labourers, &c.; and three children of gentlemen. The quarterly
numbers of deaths were 6, 10, 6, and 4 respectively. There was
a curious paralellism between diphtheria and croup in respect of the
fatal cases. Twenty-five of the deaths from diphtheria, and all the 25
deaths from croup, occurred in the Town sub-district; the quarterly
numbers of deaths being identical in the first, second, and fourth
quarters, and there being a difference of one only in the third quarter-
Measles.—The deaths caused by measles were 60 (47 in the Town
sub-district and 13 in Brompton), being 13 below the corrected decennial
average ; and all but three were of children below five years of age
—16 of them under one—the deaths in the four quarters being 5, 30,
18, and 7 respectively.
Whooping Cough.—Ninety-three deaths, one below the corrected
decennial average, were caused by whooping cough, 79 of them in the
Town sub-district, and 14 in Brompton. Eighty-five were of children
under five; 29 of them in the first year. Of the remainder, seven
were of persons between 5 and 15, and one of an adult. The quarterly
numbers of deaths were 43, 20, 8, and 22 respectively.