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175
In London there were 1,174 deaths, equivalent to
a rate of 0.28 per 1,000 inhabitants, the average rate
in the preceding decennium having been 0.29. This
was the twelfth successive year in which the mortality
from this disease was below the previous decennial
period.
Diphtheria caused 32 deaths—18 in St. Mary's
and 14 in St. John's Sub-district—as compared with
27 and 45 in the two preceding years. The rate was
0.27 per 1,000 inhabitants. 175 cases—135 in St.
Mary's and 40 in St. John's Sub-district—were notified
daring the year to the Sanitary Department as compared
with 184 in the preceding year. 82 of these
cases—63 from St. Mary's and 19 from St. John's
Sub-district were removed to Hospital, the remainder
72 in St. Mary's and 21 in St. John's Sub-district—
were treated at home.
All the houses in which the deaths occurred were
carefully inspected, attention being specially directed
in each case to the condition of the water supply and
to the soundness of the house-drain, as proved either
by the water-test, or by the smoke-test, or by the
peppermint-test. In the large majority of cases defects
of some sort were discovered, and were subsequently
made good.
The localities in which deaths from this disease
occurred are shewn in Table Va.