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various diseases treated and the deaths resulting therefrom,
amongst the out-door union poor of this Sub-district.
The number of cases treated of this class of persons was
large (1095), but it is gratifying to be able to report that
the resulting deaths were comparatively few (60), which
yields a percentage of 18.2.
Violent and sudden Deaths—Inquests.—I have to report
the holding during the past year of 13 inquests, which
inquiries resulted in verdicts indicating that one person
committed suicide by hanging whilst in an unsound state
of mind; that one new-born infant was suffocated by its
mother, who, in the opinion of the jury had been guilty of
wilful murder; that five persons were accidentally killed
in various ways, and that the remaining six died suddenly,
but naturally, of disease. There were also three deaths
registered during the year not certified by any medical
attendant. It is to be regretted that inquests are not held
in all cases such as these, rather than registering them
upon mere conjecture as to the cause of death.
Sanitation of the Year.—Almost all the appliances of
sanitation are now at the command of the authorities, and
the complete system of sewerage, now in full operation
throughout the parish, requires only the watchful care of
the able and efficient Surveyor (and which the rate-payers
may be fully assured it will obtain at his hands) to render
it all that can be desired as a means of lessening the mortality
and improving the sanitary condition of this Subdistrict.
One thing, it is hoped, will receive the most
careful consideration, and that is, some more certain and
effective method than that now employed to render the
sewer emanations less obnoxious and less likely to produce
disease by their escape into the atmosphere through ventilating
gratings placed in too close proximity to densely
populated localities.
The great advantage the Sub-district possesses in the
employment of an active Inspector of Nuisances, whose