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Typhoid
Fever.
Seventeen cases were notified, and one death occurred
against ten last year and two deaths, and fourteen in 1895
and one death.
No cases occurred in April, June, August and October.
Two cases occurred in February, two in March, three in May,
three in September, four in November, and one in each of the
three remaining months (see Table 2). The fatal case occurred
in February at a house in Pelham Eoad, a gentleman, aged 58
years, who contracted the disease in London.
Four of the cases (notified by one medical man) were
infants aged respectively two years, one year, eleven months,
and eight months. At most of the houses where the cases
occurred the drains and sanitary arrangements were found to
be in good condition, and free from defects. At those
premises whore defects existed, notices were served on the
owners and the defects remedied, and in all cases special
attention was given to the cleansing and disinfection of drinking
water cisterns. I have not been able to discover any
cause to account for the increase of the disease. The small
percentage of deaths goes to prove that the disease was not of
a very serious nature, and in my experience the occurrence of
the disease in infants a few months old is quite unusual,
except in cases of epidemics.
Measles.
As will be seen by Table B there were 16 deaths from
Measles, while there were only thirteen deaths in the year
from all the notifiable diseases. Measles is therefore responsible
for three more deaths than all the notifiable diseases together
In previous reports I have strongly advised the compulsory
notification of this disease, so that preventive measures may
be taken. I am well aware what the notification of this
disease implies; viz.: notification fees to medical men, extra
duties, and perhaps additional staff, etc.; but notwithstanding
I think the Council should take some steps to try if possible to
check the spread of a disease which has proved so deadly
amongst the young children in this district.