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14
ment was informed of many cases of scarlet fever, of
which it would not otherwise have heard.
From whooping-cough, the other epidemic of the
year, the deaths steadily increased as the year advanced,
and with those from scarlet fever, greatly contributed
to our comparatively high zymotic death-rate. The
low temperature, and the continuance of heavy rains
in the latter part of the year, favoured the occurrence of
death from this disease.
Of the 63 deaths, 48 occurred in St. Mary's District,
45 being those of children under two years of age,
at which age, more particularly during the first twelve
months, it has been observed to be most fatal, probably
on account of its occurring during dentition. Not
unfrequently it follows or co-exists with measles in the
same locality.
The Registrar -General calls attention to the "large
proportion of deaths from this disease amongst the
children of the working classes." In our own parish
the deaths were almost exclusively confined to that
class.
The 22 deaths from fever include 2 from typhus,
16 from typhoid, and 4 from continued fever. Until
there is greater exactitude shown in the use of the term
"typhoid," I must be excused for not regarding every
case reported as one of genuine typhoid fever. The
term "typhoid" is frequently employed by medical
men in a sense different to that intended by the
Registrar-General and modern nosologists. By many
practitioners it is often used to designate a prostrate
condition of the system, with certain symptoms which