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ton, for instance, no effort is spared to induce poor persons to
avail themselves of the advantages afforded by the hospitals, and
a large percentage of the known cases is removed, hence the
high totals in for Kensington the several columns of the Table
referred to.
"The death-rates on the admissions of all cases" vary
much in respect of the parishes and unions sending patients to
the hospitals, the highest rates occurring in parishes, &g.,
where the conditions of life generally are the most unfavourable.
The Committee draw attention to the fact that the condition of
patients in regard to their general health, and to the stage
reached by the disease before transfer to hospital, varies sensibly
in different parishes.
The Medical Superintendent of the "Western Hospital, we
are told, reports an excessive prevalence of albuminuria amongst
the scarlet fever cases, which he attributes to the concentration
of acute cases during the time of the drafting of convalescents
to Winchmore Hill (Northern Hospital). This view will doubtless
be subjected to the test of further observation in the future.
The effects of aggregating a number of diphtheria cases on one
site is engaging the attention of the several Medical Superintendents
of the hospitals. There were not any cases of diphtheria
admitted from eleven out of the thirty poor-law districts. The
highest numbers were contributed by Kensington (17) and
Lambeth (14) It is said of relapsing or famine fever, which
was extremely prevalent in the Metropolis during 1869-70, that
very few cases have been admitted for many years past, and
this, "taken in conjunction with the decline of typhus fever, is
clearly indicative of the improved condition of the Metropolitan
poor, particularly as regards overcrowded dwellings," whilst
''to the progress made in drainage and domestic sanitation may,
in a great measure, be attributed the steady and continuous
decline in the mortality from enteric fever."