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38
Whooping Cough.—This disease, which frequently becomes
epidemic when Measles is prevalent, and also often occurs as a
sequela of that affection, was prevalent during 1909. 310 cases
were brought to the knowledge of the Medical Officer of Health, and
184 died, making an annual death-rate of 0.59 per 1,000, the average
death-rate for the past 10 years being 0.43 per 1,000.
Diarrhoea.—Epidemic Diarrhoea, which is always responsible
for the greater part of the zymotic death-rate, and generally accounts
for a considerable share in the death-roll in young children, showed
an exceptionally slight incidence of attack both in West Ham and the
whole country, as may be judged from the small number of deaths.
In West Ham 172 deaths occurred, equal to an annual death-rate of
0.55 per 1,000, the average death-rate for the past 10 years being
l.56 per 1,000.
Bronchitis (Acute and Chronic) caused 456 deaths, or a deathrate
of 1.46 per 1,000, the average rate for the past ten years being
1.62 per 1,000, while the deaths from Pneumonia numbered 420,
equal to a death-rate of 1.34 per 1,000, as compared with an average
rate of 1.32 per 1,000 during the past decade.
Heart Diseases were responsible for 277 deaths, giving a
death-rate of 0.88 per 1,000, the ten years' average rate being 0.99
per 1,000.
Cancer, in which term is included all forms of malignant
growths, showed an increase in fatality, 225 deaths being recorded,
equal to a death-rate of 0.72 per 1,000, as compared with a ten years'
average rate of 0.70 per 1,000.
Tubercular Diseases.—The deaths from Phthisis, or
tubercular disease of the lung, have already been reported as numbering
367. In addition to these, 138 deaths occurred from tubercular
diseases other than Phthisis, equal to a death-rate of 0.44 per 1,000,
the ten years' average being 0.60 per 1,000.