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Typhus.—No death from this highly infectious disease was
registered in 1884, it being the first year since 1871, when I
assumed office, in which this disease does not appear in our
statistics of mortality. The Metropolis as a whole was very free
from the disease.
Enteric Fever was the registered cause of 26 deaths, 14 in the
Town sub-district, and 12 in Brompton; 9 of the deaths occurred
in hospitals. The disease was less prevalent than usual in the
autumn, and there was no local outbreak of importance at any
period of the year.
Simple Continued Fever was the cause of 4 deaths in the Town
sub-district.
Diarbhcea.—The deaths from diarrhoea, 110 in number (as
against 80 in 1888), were six below the decennial average corrected
for increase of population; 93 of them took place in the Town subdistrict,
and 17 in Brompton; 84 were registered in twelve weeks
ended September 6tli. As usual, the deaths were cliiefly of young
children, viz., 98 under five years of age, including 86 under one
year. The excess of mortality from diarrhoea in the metropolis
generally, was upwards of 500 after correction for growth of
population. The immediate cause of the comparatively high
death rate from diarrhoea, was the otherwise beneficial heat of the
summer. In what precise manner a high summer temperature
operates to produce this infantile scourge has never been clearly
made out; it is hoped that the enquiry delegated by the Local
Government Board to their Inspector, Dr. Ballard, will ultimately
throw light on the subject.
CHOLERA.
Five deaths were registered from English Cholera. Asiatic
Cholera broke out at Toulon, in June, 1884, and shortly afterwards
appeared at Marseilles. In view of the probability
of the disease being conveyed to this country, the Local
Government Board (under date, July 8tli) forwarded for the
information of your Vestry, as sanitary authority, copies of a