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44
SICKNESS AND MORTALITY AMONGST THE POOR.
Table V. in the Appendix proves a most valuable one as
an index to the general sickness that has prevailed in the
several Sub-districts. The column appropriated to the mortality
statistics of this parish shows that the out-door poor
have suffered during the past year but slightly from epidemic
diseases (fever excepted), and that the deaths under the
headings of both Zymotic and ordinary maladies have
been below the average.
Fourteen deaths in 400 cases of pauper sickness is a
small per-centage, and pretty clearly indicates that sanitation
carried into the dwelling-places of the poor can
effect much good; and further, that such sanitation has
already had considerable influence in modifying disease
and rendering it less fatal amongst all classes of the
community.
AGES AT DEATH.
Eight deaths have been registered as due entirely to
advanced age or natural decay, five of which were of
persons over 80 years—the eldest 90 years. The average
age of these eight persons is 81 years.
At the other extreme of the scale there will be noted
little or no increase of the number dying under 10 years
person in his register there can be no doubt whatever, notwithstanding any private fee
that may be due to him for private medical treatment, or extra services rendered, either
before or subsequently to the official act of inserting the vaccine lymph, which he is
obligated by the Statute to perform on every one applying to him for the same. In the
same publication as that above referred to, it is remarked that:—
"If in fact he do so," (that is to say, place the names of the children of his private
patients in his register, in order to ensure to every one the properly certificated
registration, according to the provisions of the Statute,) " his right to be paid for
the successful vaccination of such patients is established by the contract."
It may seem at first sight hardly worth while to contend these points so seriously, but
it never should be forgotten that if Health Officers will not take the trouble to expose,
with a view to check such attempts to override the law, as those referred to, there is
danger that their present impunity may give them a degree of authority hereafter,
and it would not, I submit, be very desirable to set up such an authority in any
district, seeing that in London alone something like 3,000 deaths have been lately
recorded as resulting from Small-pox, in a single year.