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21
At the present time this table is of somewhat unusual
importance, as it shows, amongst other facts, the number of
deaths from small pox during the last eleven years, as well as
from the other six zymotic diseases. Thus we see that the
mortality from small pox varied between 2 and 100 deaths in
different years, the latter number having occurred in 1871, and
the former in 1875, against 111 in 1872, and 92 in 1876.
These figures indicate that the present epidemic is scarcely
likely to be as fatal as that of 1871-2. The table also shows
that the deaths from measles and fever were far more uniform
than those from scarlet fever, whooping cough, and diarrhoea, as
the highest mortality in the eleven years, from measles, was 61,
and the lowest, 15; from fever the highest was 76 in 1866, and
the lowest 34 in 1871, and the next 44, in 1876, the two years
when small pox was epidemic. In 1869 there were as many as
247 deaths from scarlet fever, whilst in 1873 there were only 27;
in 1876 there were as many as 126 deaths from whooping cough,
against 39 only in 1870. This last-named disease was very
fatal in 1875, as well as in 1876, so that we have just had two
successive years of very unusual mortality from this infectious
disease. There is, I believe, far too great apathy, indeed I may
say neglect, as regards the treatment and prevention of the
spread of whooping cough, for if proper medical means bo used,
and due care be taken in keeping the affected children in-doors,
and, if possible, in one room, during the whole of the inflammatory
part of the disease; and also in not exposing them too
soon to cold winds out of doors, this disease would comparatively
rarely prove fatal. The numbers given in the table are those
which were registered, and are uncorrected for increase of
population, so that the figures for 1866 would have to be
increased by at least 40 per cent. to render them comparable
with the mortality for last year.