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15
DIPHTHERIA.
(Decennial average 14.7).
Diphtheria was the registered cause of 52 deaths; but 46 others
were returned under the head of Croup; many of these were
probably cases of Diphtheria. The Registrar General in his
Annual Summary remarks that the mortality from this disease has
been increasing in London since 1877. The rise up to 1887 was
gradual, but in 1888 there was a sudden bound, the total deaths
increasing from 953 to 1301; a rise of 30 per cent, in a single
year. The increase in this parish was actually 50 per cent. I
think this increase is to some extent more apparent than real; for
i note that nearly all the hospital deaths from Membranous
Laryngitis are now returned as Diphtheria, whilst most of those
amongst the patients of private practitioners are certified as
Croup.* There is a fashion in medical terms as in other things,
and it now seems to be the fashion amongst Hospital Medical
Officers to call all cases of Membranous Laryngitis, "Diphtheria,''
whereas a year or two ago they would have been returned as
"Croup."
Fifty houses, where cases of Diphtheria had occurred, were
inspected; 13 of the premises were in a fairly satisfactory condition;
in 16 they were more or less defective ; and in 21 the
state was very bad indeed. It was necessary to take legal proceedings
and to obtain Magistrates' orders in four of these cases,
before the bad sanitary conditicn was remedied.
WHOOPING COUGH.
(Decennial average 133.5,).
Whooping Cough caused 167 deaths. A large proportion of
this mortality was registered in the first quarter of the year. The
epidemic commenced in the latter part of 1887, and continued to
the middle of March, 1888, after which the number of deaths
gradually fell, and the mortality remained low during the
remainder of the year.
* Cases of Diphtheria are now admitted to the Asylums' Board Hospitals.