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Comparing the mortality from the “seven” principal diseases
of the zymotic class in the two periods, we arrive at a corrected
reduction in the number of deaths, in the second period, of no
fewer than 1,441. In other words, had the rate of mortality from
these diseases been the same in the second period (1871-82), as
in the first period (1859-70), there would have died in the second
period of twelve years 1,441 persons more than did die, or 120
per annum. The zymotic death rate, I may add, which in
1859-70 was 3.6 per 1,000 persons living, fell to 2.8 per 1,000 in
1871-82; the deaths from these diseases, moreover, which in
1859-70 were 18 per cent. of total deaths, were only 15.4 per
cent. in 1871-82.
Other causes, doubtless, besides notification, contributed to
bring about this satisfactory result, and we must not forget, as
regards enteric fever, that this disease, under improved sanitary
arrangements, has " continuously and notably declined in England
during recent years." Chief among these causes, and one, in my
judgment, even superior in efficacy to notification, is the provision
of hospital accommodation by the Asylums Board, under the
provisions of the Metropolitan Poor Act, 1867. So highly,
indeed, do I value this provision, that, were I offered a choice
between hospitals and notification, I should unhesitatingly choose
hospitals ; for this reason, among others, that provision of hospital
accommodation leads, almost inevitably, to voluntary notification;
whereas, even compulsory notification has comparatively little
value if hospital accommodation be wanting.
INCREASED FACILITIES FOR THE
REMOVAL OF THE INFECTIOUS SICK.
In 1880, the Board of Guardians manifested their desire to
promote the removal of infectious cases, by instructing the
Relieving Officers to abstain from taking steps for obtaining payment
in respect of persons removed for the purpose of isolation to
the Metropolitan District Fever and Small-pox hospitals. The
carrying out of these instructions has been attended with the