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REPORT.
To the Chairman and Members of the Tottenham Urban
District Council.
Gentlemen,
I have the honour to submit to you my Annual Report
for the year 1902.
It is gratifying to he able to record that (a) the genetal
(b) the infantile, and (c) the zymotic death rates all show a
marked diminution as compared with preceding years, and this,
notwithstanding the prevalence of Small-pox in the Parish
during the greater portion of the period in question; indeed, that
disease alone contributed a quota of 74 to the total death roll
of 1,438.
On the other hand, the birth tate has risen, and is
considerably above, as the death tate is even more considerably below
the average rates of England and Wales.
The large number of deaths (37) attributed to Whooping
Cough, is doubtless chiefly due to the small importance so
generally attached to the early stages of this disease by parents
and others having the control of children, and the consequent
failure to procure and follow proper medical advice.
The above remarks apply with even greater force to the
onset of Diphtheria; too much care cannot be taken to secure
its early diagnosis and treatment; bacteriological examinations
and anti-diphtheritic serum are now provided for this purpose
by many sanitary authorities, through their Public Health
Departments, and the results of such an enlightened policy are
evidenced, not merely by the preservation of human life, but
also by the markedly decreased hospital expenditure on this
disease.
The number of deaths from Phthisis is lower than that
of last year, and were that disease brought under the operation
of the Infectious Disease (Notification) Act, 1889,1 am convinced