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274
rates of 13.6 and 17.1 per cent.
The fatalities which have prevailed since 1894 are set out below:—
1894.
1895.
1896.
1897.
1898.
1899.
Fatality among—
Hospital Cases
28.1
16.6
27.6
17.9
21.0
13.6
Home Cases
20.1
25.2
27.2
24.1
31.5
17.1
Total Cases
24.7
20.6
27.6
20.1
24.8
14.2
Percentage of Notified Cases
Removed to Hospital
56.2
53.0
50.0
60.8
64.3
82.7
So many factors require to be considered in discussing
the causes of this reduction that the subject
must be considered as beyond the limits of this report.
Two may be mentioned—(a) milder character of the
attacks, either due to a weaker virulence of the
organism or to a higher power of resistance on the
part of the patients from climatic causes, improved
sanitary surroundings, etc.; and (b) more successful
treatment, foremost being that by antitoxin. Further
discussion should be held over until the experience of
later years makes it clear whether the reduction noted
be one of chance or of cause and effect.