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13
The deaths from Small Pox varied enormously dnring this
period, so few as 5 deaths having been recorded in 1874 against
400 in 1871; the average annual number of deaths for the ten
years was 62. Measles also had a small number of deaths in one
year, viz. 15, against as many as 68 in 1874; the average annual
number being 39. The mean annual death-rate from Scarlet
Fever is 92, so that the mortality for 1874, which was only 97,
was scarcely as high as the mean, but was in excess of the
number of deaths which occurred in 186S, the year of the
commencement of the great outbreak of 18G9-70, and next year,
1875-76, I expect a very much larger mortality from Scarlet
Fever. The mean number of deaths from Diphtheria was 14, so
that the mortality from this disease was less in 1874 than usual.
Whooping Cough had the third greatest mean mortality for
these years, viz. 70, whilst the number of deaths this year was
only 52. Fever also was much below the average, as only 45
deaths from all kinds were recorded amongst the inhabitants,
against an average for the 10 years of 59. Diarrhoea also was
less than usual, as only 102 deaths were recorded against the
mean of 116.
The mean annual number of deaths are uncorrected for
increase of population, so that for the purpose of a true comparison
these numbers should have been increased by above twenty
per cent, which is half the total increase of the population in
these 10 years. It is therefore evident that this year the deaths
from all these epidemics were considerably less than the average
of 10 years with the exception of Measles.
The mean annual number of deaths to 1000 total deaths in
the 13 years, was 26 from Small Pox, 16 Measles, 39 from
Scarlet Fever, 6 from Diphtheria, 29 from Whooping Cough, 25
from Fever, and no less than 49 from Diarrhoea, so that in
proportion to total deaths Diarrhœa was far more fatal than any
other disease included in this list. The mean annual number of