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8
ANALYSIS OF THE CAUSES OF DEATH OF THE
1602 RESIDENTS.
Table I* is arranged to indicate the number of deaths in each
class of disease, and for comparison purposes, I have also added
the numbers applicable to the entire Metropolis, including the
District. You will perceive, that whilst in the whole of London,
17.32 per cent. of the total deaths were attributed to Zymotic
diseases, the Whitechapel District can only be credited with losing
14.19 per cent. of its total deaths from this class of disease. This
difference is not very dissimilar to last year's record. The remarks
I have made in previous reports as to variations in the other
classes, I notice to be also applicable this year to them.
Table K† epitomizes the information contained in the weekly
returns, which I receive from the Metropolitan Asylums' Board
Office. Its consideration demonstrates that whilst last year we
contributed nearly 3 per cent. of the total number of cases admitted
into that Board's Hospitals, this year only 2 per cent. of the total
number belonged to the Whitechapel District. The return shows
that Small-Pox is still almost absent from our District, seeing that
out of a total of 128 cases in the Metropolis which were received,
only 5 were charged to us. This is not strictly accurate however,
because in the South District there occurred, during October, 6
cases of this disease within an area limited by several houses
backing upon each other. Fortunately, they occurred in the
immediate vicinity of my Surgery, and I was able to at once trace
the outbreak to a seaman who had visited a brother, whom he
infected before he was admitted into the Hospital. By the
immediate removal of fresh cases, and by vaccination and revaccination
of relatives of the patients, the disease became stamped
out. I know of no evidence, which to an unbiassed mind, could
bring more convincing proof of the all-powerful ability of this simple
operation to prevent the spread of this dire disease, than a study
of this group of cases. I am pleased, whilst on this subject, to
again bear testimony to the good work performed by Mr. Sherman,
the Vaccination Officer to the Union, whose report I append in
Table L‡.
Scarlet Fever has tried to the utmost the resources of the
Asylums' Board Managers during the year, and well have they
*Page 22. †Page 23. ‡Page 24.