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Twenty deaths occurred among children under one year of age from the following
causes:—Diphtheria, 1 ; Whooping Cough, 1; Measles, 1; Diarrhoea and Enteritis, 6;
Premature Birth, 1 ; Debility, 3; Convulsions, 3; Bronchitis, 1 ; Pneumonia, 1.
This is equal to a mortality rate of 86'5 per thousand births; and is a decided
improvement on the rate for 1904; which was 137'3 per thousand births.
There have been fifteen deaths recorded from the principal zymotic diseases
(Diphtheria, 7; Whooping Cough, 3; Measles, 1; Diarrhoea 4), equal to a rate of 2 per
thousand of the population.
Ten deaths were the subject of Inquests by the Coroner during the year, and
the verdicts of the Juries were as follows:—Natural Causes, 4; Drowning, 3; Accidents, 2;
and Suicide, 1.

In addition to the above, information was received from the Medical Attendant
of a case of Diphtheria in premises which were Crown property, and therefore exempt
from the provisions of the Notification Acts.
Seven deaths were due to Diphtheria, of which six occurred in the Isolation Hospital,
and the other at the patient's residence.
One case of Diphtheria was treated in Hospital from the adjoining parish of Hampton
Wick.
Two other patients, certified as suffering from Diphtheria, were removed to the
Isolation Hospital, but were found to be suffering from a disease other than Diphtheria,
and were discharged after a short period of detention.
One death took place from Erysipelas, and one from Measles.
The case of Small-pox notified occurred early in the year, and was at once removed
to the Joint Small-pox Hospital. Fortunately for the district, we still possessed an
institution for the treatment of this disease. The case did well, and there was no further
spread. Shortly after the discharge of the patient, the lease of the land upon which the
Hospital stood terminated, and although the Council endeavoured to obtain an extension
their efforts were unsuccessful. I was fortunately able to make an arrangement with the
Croydon and Wimbledon Joint Hospital Board for the treatment of cases from this district
in their Hospital at Cheam, and the arrangement was confirmed by the Council, thus relieving
me of anxiety respecting the immediate removal of any patient suffering from thig
disease in the future.
In the early Spring there was a smart outbreak of Diphtheria in the Western
portion of the district, the primary source of which was difficult to trace. The outbreak
was soon checked by the prompt removal of patients to the Isolation Hospital, and the
disinfection of infected premises. The Girls' and Infants' schools were closed for two days
for cleansing, and the disinfection of apparatus used by the scholars.
The early calling in of Medical advice in throat cases is most essential, so as to
timely detect the non-infectious or infectious condition of the patients.