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10
During the year 501 notifications were received, of which
161 referred to Scarlet Fever, 125 to Diphtheria, 2 to Membranous
Croup, 130 to Typhoid Fever, 3 to Puerperal Fever, 78
to Erysipelas, and 2 to Small Pox, which, as previously
mentioned, did not really occur in the district. This number
on account of the increase in the Typhoid Fever, exceeds that
of 1898, but it is very much less than in any other year since
notification of Infectious Disease has been made compulsory.
In 1892 the number of notifications was 771
1893 „ „ „ 1298
„ 1894 „ ,, 1, 719
„ 1895 „ „ „ 755
„ 1896 „ „ „ 764
„ 1897 „ „ „ 754
„ 1898 „ „ „ 461
„ 1899 „ „ 501
At the request of the Board I have made arrangements
with the Bacteriologist of the London Hospital, to have all
doubtful cases of Diphtheria and Typhoid Fever, bacteriologically
examined. During the two months that the arrangements
have been in force, swabs from the throats of 3 doubtful
cases of Diphtheria were examined, with positive results in 2,
and a negative result in 1 case. Widal's test was tried in 3
doubtful cases of Typhoid Fever with a positive result in 1 and
negative results in 2 cases.
INFANT MORTALITY.— During the year 418 infants
died before they were a twelvemonth old, and 642 before they
were 5 years of age. The number of deaths of infants under 1
year of age was 216 per 1,000 births, the number being
166 in the whole of London.
In my last Annual Report, I gave the results of a special
inquiry which I made during the year, of the deaths of all
children under 2 years of age who died during the year 1898.
To reduce the high Infant Mortality in the district, I
recommended the Board to employ a nurse who would also be
a qualified Sanitary Inspector, to visit the homes and give
instructions where necessary in the care and management of
children. This has been done in many Provincial Towns with
great success.