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15
would answer most of the requirements. This
disease is fatal mostly amongst the poor. 11 is rare for
a death to occur in the families of persons in comfortable
circumstances, even amongst the working
classes it is rare for death to occur except where the
circumstances are unduly lowered by irregular
employment, or the sad surroundings that bring
about a low vitality in child, and slatternly ways in
the mothers. The foundation of such a hospital
seems to me to be not an unfitting memorial of the
longest reign, and fitting in with the expressed
wishes of Her Most Gracious Majesty.
Whooping Cough.
The mortality is higher than usual. It has in
some cases been associated with Measles, and in
nearly every case the death has been in an infant
under one year of age.
Diarrhoea.
Infantile Diarrhoea accounts for 18 deaths.
The rate per 1,000 is .57, which is considerably
better than .99 in 1893, but still it is much too high.
This is another disease that rarely occurs amongst
those in comfortable circumstances. Damp soil,
improper feeding, and overcrowding all tend to
aggravate the disease, which in this town is almost
entirely confined to a few roads.
Influenza.
Two of the deaths recorded were in children
under five years of age.