The Recent Epidemic of Influenza

Abstract

THE mortality in London from influenza shows a steady decline week by week; and, although the number of deaths is still in excess of the average, there are good reasons for hoping that the epidemic will shortly disappear from our midst. The severity of the recent visitation, as compared with that which prevailed last year, is clearly shown by the accompanying diagram, in which the effects of the two epidemics are displayed side by side. The weekly mortality from influenza alone is represented by the thick curve, the number of deaths from diseases of the respiratory system by the lighter curve, and the average number of deaths from disorders of the latter class by a dotted line. The average mortality from influenza is too small to permit of any curve being drawn upon the scale shown in the diagram.