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6
Epidemic
Influenza
At the beginning of the year there were cases, but at
the commencement of the exceptionally mild weather that
set in so early the epidemic seemed to disappear, to return
however in November. It has been very severe in individual
instances, and there have been proportionately more
cases of lung complications than on previous visitations.
In all there were 6 deaths.
Erysipelas

The large increase in notifications is mainly due to the
Scarlet Fever epidemic. This Act is working satisfactorily,
and large though the record of scarlet fever is, yet my
observation tells me that it would have been far away larger
but for the restrictions that follow notification, and the
wholesome restraining influences of a knowledge that sanitary
officials are apt to find out and take cognizance of
carelessness in the exposure of infected persons, &c. An
example of the utility of this Act presents itself when a
case of infectious illness occurs in the house of a laundress.
This formerly meant concealment or loss of business on the
one hand, with a very good chance of infection on the other,
but now the sanitary official makes use of his knowledge of
the presence of the disease, or should do so, to protect the
interests of the employer and preserve the business of the
employed, and this can most effectually be done by proper
advice as to isolation and disinfection and certifying when
the danger is past. This has only been practicable in all
There have been an unusual number of cases notified
this year—15 in all—as compared with previous years,
though some of them were of a very mild character indeed.
They were mostly in April and May.
Not ification Act