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103
It is the simple diseases, so-called, that produce the bulk of the
Zymotic death-rate, and these diseases—Measles, Whooping Cough, and
Diarrhoea—kill in such numbers only because they are neglected, and
are looked on as ailments that are so slight that they require hardly
any care or attention. The result, of course, is that no notice is taken
of the ailments until a sudden crisis has arisen, and then a rush is made
tor the medical attendant, who, when he sees the patient, is powerless to
do good, and consequently a life, either through ignorance, carelessness,
or neglect, is thrown away. One could moralize on this subject indefinitely;
but moralizing will not do any good. It appears to me,
however, that until the general public are taught to understand that
these are dangerous diseases which must be attended to without delay,
so long will these unnecessary deaths continue. It seems to me that in
our Board Schools, at least, the children should be made to understand
the deadly character of these ailments, so that early in life an impression
may be made on the minds of those who are destined to be the parents
of the next generation. Early impressions are not easily eradicated, and,
therefore, in this instance instruction is likely to be productive of a
great deal of good.
WHOOPING COUGH.
149 deaths—which are equal to a death-rate of 0.46 per 1,000
inhabitants—-were registered. All these cases were treated at their
homes. These 149 deaths are 96 below the average of the preceding
five years, while they are 57 below the average of the ten years
(1880—91), in which decade the mean annual death-rate was 0.83
per 1,000.
The rate in London last year was 0.58, and in the large towns 0.57.
SCARLET FEVER.
Only 33 deaths were registered in the Parish, representing a death
rate from this disease of 0.10. There were, however, 19 deaths in the
Metropolitan Asylums Board's Hospitals, which increase the deaths to
52, and the death-rate to 0.15. The death-rate of the metropolis
was 0.28, and of the great towns 0.25.
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