View report page

21
Diphtheria.—The mortality from Diphtheria was above the
corrected average (19.7), the deaths having been 21 (20 in the Town
sub-district, and only one in Brompton) 8, 2, 5, and 6 deaths in
the four quarters respectively. The fatal cases were mostly of
children; several were imported cases. It would be well if provision
were made on the medical certificate of the cause of death
for information to be given in the event of an infectious disease
having been imported. Such information would often be of value
to the sanitary authority of the district whence the patient came,
and the district in which the death takes place would be relieved of
an imputation on its sanitary arrangements.
Measles.—The deaths from Measles were 75, corresponding with
the corrected average, viz., 74 in the Town sub-district, and only
one in Brompton—13, 25, 26, and 11 in the four quarters respectively.
The deaths were mostly of the children of persons in the
humbler ranks of life; and it is open to question whether, in
some instances at least, the complicating malady may not have been
due to a want of that care which is necessary to guide children safely
through an attack of measles. Sufferers from this complaint have
more or less disturbance of the respiratory organs, which are ready
to take on inflammatory action under an amount of exposure borne
with impunity in health. There is no reason to assume intentional
want of care on the part of mothers in the management of children
suffering from measles ; but the disease is regarded too lightly: it
is even thought a good thing to let it run through a family; and not
uncommonly children are purposely exposed to infection, while
rarely is any great trouble taken to isolate the sick. It must be admitted,
however, that the disease is intensely catching, and is, of all
the so-called preventable diseases one of the most difficult to prevent,
being infectious probably from the appearance of the first symptoms
—running from the eyes and nose, sneezing, etc., about three
days before the characteristic rash appears on the skin.
Whooping Cough.—The deaths from Whooping Cough, 95 in
number corresponded practically with the corrected average (96.1),
75 of them occurred in the Town sub-district, and 20 in Brompton.
The deaths in the four quarters respectively were, 34, 33, 12, and
16. Sixty-seven of the deaths were of children under five years of
cc