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68
in the health of the metropolis in 1879 as compared
with 1878.
Among the more important facts in regard to the
mortuary returns of the year are the following:—
Small pox, which in 1877 caused 2544 deaths, and
in 1878 1416, in 1879 caused only 458, of
which 221 occurred in the first quarter, 140 in the
second, 63 in the third, and 34 in the last. Measles,
to which 1510 deaths were attributed in 1878, was
fatal to 2488 persons in 1879. Scarlet Fever was
fatal in 1792 cases in 1878, and in 2706 cases in 1879.
Diphtheria caused 558 deaths in 1878, and 522 in
1879. Whooping Cough, which was fatal to 4446
persons in 1878 was fatal to 3000 in 1879. And
Continued Fever, which destroyed 1361 lives in the
former year, destroyed 1099 in the latter. Probably
the most remarkable sanitary fact of the year was the
extraordinarily low rate of mortality from Autumnal
Diarrhoea. This is, doubtless, attributable to the
unusually low temperature of the summer months.
The deaths from this cause, which were 3651 in 1878,
fell to 1913 in 1879. It will be observed, therefore,
that while there was a considerable increase in deaths
for Measles and Scarlet Fever, there was a large
diminution in the case of Whooping Cough, and a