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deaths, belonged to the parish proper. Next in order of fatality
the zymotic class (epidemic, endemic, contagious) formed exactly
one-sixth of the whole, or about double the per centage of last
year. Diseases of the organs of respiration (excluding consumption)
formed upwards of 10 per cent; this is considerably below
the average; during the previous year they formed 16 per cent.
Diseases of the heart were more than one-half less than the average.
The other classes of disease exhibit nothing of moment.
Consumption (as is usual when not exceeded by some epidemic)
was the most fatal of any single disease, forming 15 per cent., or
upwards of one-seventh of the whole mortality.
Two deaths only resulted from violence, and those were from
accidental causes. Twelve inquests were held in the year; 18 in
the year preceding. In 11 instances the cause of death was not
certified by medical testimony. It should be here observed, as has
been pointed out in previous reports, that as in any of these cases
death may have resulted from other than natural causes, the possibility
of secret crime escaping detection is not precluded, as far as
might be, by the intervention of medical investigation in all cases
where the cause of death has not been certified by a registered
medical practitioner. The following quotation from the RegistrarGeneral's
Annual Report for 1854 has a strong bearing upon this
subject:—"The Coroner's Court is less effective than it might
become in deterring evil doers from the commission of dreadful
crimes."
age at death.
Of the total deaths, upwards of 40 per cent. died under 20 years
of age; 33 per cent. did not exceed 5 years; and upwards of 21
per cent. did not attain the age of 1 year. The mean age at death
of those who died during the past year was 32 years. There is a
great and remarkable difference in the mean age at death presented
by the two sexes—having been 36 years among females, while
among males it was only 27 years.
SOCIAL POSITION.
82.5 per cent. of all deaths occurred amongst the industrial and
labouring classes; and of deaths from epidemic diseases, 87.8 per
cent. The average per centage amongst them during the past
5 years, both of total deaths and of deaths from epidemic diseases,
was 80 per cent. Of the 82 deaths under 5 years of age, 72 took
place amongst them.