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the two years bears the same proportion to each other, viz.:—237 in
1873 against 238 in 1872. These coincidences are remarkable, and
serve to show the equality of sanitary conditions in the two years.
(See also Death-rate, § 13.)
22. Of the 237 Zymotic Diseases, only 217 belonged to the
Miasmatic order, the remainder being Enthetic, Dietic and Parasitic
Diseases. Last year the number of Miasmatic Diseases was 211;
there has been little difference, therefore, in the two years. Both
years show a much lower ratio than the average of 10 years, which
is 307, or about 43 per cent, greater than the mean of the last two
years. This is obviously a favourable condition of things.
23. Small Pox.—No deaths from Small Pox occurred during the
year. The contagion in this District seems to be exhausted, but it
may re-appear among us at any time, and no foresight can predict
when or whence. The Board of Guardians continue to carry out the
provisions of the Vaccination Act.
24. Measles.—Our deaths from this cause were 27—a smaller
number than last year, viz. 37, but nearly exactly the mean for 10
years (27.2). Notwithstanding that our mortality from Measles
has not exceeded the average, yet during the last two months of the
year, our District, in common with the Metropolis at large, suffered
severely from this disease. We had 14 deaths in the two months;
we also had 7 deaths in the first month of the present year, when the
epidemic abated. The mortality from Measles during this epidemic
was greater than has been before recorded since the new system of
Registration has been established.
25. It is remarkable that since 1870, the Metropolis has been
scourged by three epidemics, the most fatal of their species that
have been known for many years, viz., Scarlet Fever in 1870, Small
Pox in 1871, and Measles in 1873. In 1870 St. Giles District lost
103 persons from Scarlet Fever; in 1871, 88 from Small Pox; and in
1873 we came under the common infliction of Measles, although,
happily, we suffered less than our share; and yet, our Death-rate
from Zymotic Diseases has been undergoing a steady diminution.
26. Scarletina.—Our mortality from this disease (8) was very
slight, the mean of ten years being 47.
27. Whooping Cough.—This usually fatal affection in St. Giles
also visited us mildly, our deaths being 29, whilst our mean
mortality is 47.
28. Diarrhoea gave 80 deaths, which is about our usual number.
As we have invariably observed, the larger number of deaths from
this disease occurred in the autumnal months, and among children;
38 of these deaths occurred in the month of August. Especial
inquiries were conducted to ascertain the social and physical
conditions of the victims. The results may be thus stated. All the
deaths were of children under 5 years of age, and 32 out of the 38
were under 1 year of age. The mothers could not be traced in two
instances; in the remaining 30, it was ascertained that only two
children had received their nourishment exclusively from the mother's