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11
tuted almost a third of the cases notified; a large
proportion were reported during the early spring and
winter months, and probably arose from the damp
and cold conditions then existing.
Diarrhoea.
This complaint was the immediate cause of
nine deaths, against 21 for the year 1893, mostly
young children, and occurred during the months
of July, August, and September when infantile or
summer diarrhoea is usually most prevalent. It is a
complaint much influenced by temperature, and
doubtless the cool summer accounted for the comparatively
small number of deaths.
Phthisis.
Thirty-seven deaths were registered from this
disease, against 26 for the previous year. This
increase may be partly accounted for by the dampness
of the subsoil during the greater part of the
year.
In America the disease is included amongst
those which come under the Notification Act, and
when a death is registered the room occupied by the
patient is disinfected as it would be after any other
infectious disease. A resolution has been recently
passed by the Society of Medical Officers of Health
"thatthe Society while accepting theviewthat phthisis
is an infectious disease, in the prevention of which
active hygienic measures should be taken, think it
premature to recommend the compulsory notification
of a chronic disease like phthisis. They are however
of opinion that it is incumbent on Medical Officers of
Health to take such steps as may secure the voluntary
notification of phthisis by those medical practitioners