Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Walthamstow]
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32
ZYMOTIC MORTALITY.
Included under this heading are the deaths from the " Seven Principal
Epidemic Diseases " :—Measles, Scarlet Fever, Diphtheria, Whooping
Cough, Enteric Fever and Diarrhoea.
The rate based on these deaths is '98 per 1,000 of the population,
and similar to that of last year.
The rate for the "76 Great Towns" was T42, and for England and
Wales 112.
Our favourable rate is largely due to absence of Summer Diarrhcea
and our comparative immunity from Typhoid.
All the Zymotic diseases are preventable, and until some further steps
are taken in the control of Whooping Cough and Measles, an annual
expenditure of £7,000 on Scarlet Fever and Diphtheria is not justified,
considering the deaths from these diseases are rarely half those from
Measles and Whooping Cough.
In this connection the good effected by an additional Health Visitor
would be well worth the money expended.
Our death-rate for each individual disease of the Zymotic group—
Whooping Cough excepted—was less than that prevailing in the
"76 Great Towns," and were it not for the epidemic prevalence of this
disease our rate would be considerably less.
The following tabular statement shows the numbers of deaths from
these diseases since 1898 :—