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10
The zymotic class of diseases were of different degrees of fatality in the
three sub.districts. Of the 11 deaths from smallpox, 10 occurred in St. Giles
South. Four persons died of this disease in the workhouse, two having been
taken in for treatment, and the other two being infants who had been in the
house since their birth, and were considered too young for vaccination. Measles
was distributed among the three sub.districts almost exactly in equal proportions.
Diphtheria and whooping cough too, were not specially localized in
any one neighbourhood. Diarrhoea was as usual most fatal among the children
of South St. Giles, and next in mortality from this disease came Bloomsbury.
Scarlatina was most fatal in Bloomsbury, in which sub.district (with the smallest
population of the three), it caused 23 deaths out of the 57 registered in the
whole district. The disease prevailed here most in November, and found its
head quarters about Everett Street, at the Northern extremity of the parish.
Fevers were fatal to three persons only in Bloomsbury, to 57 in St. Giles
South, and to 21 in St. Giles North; persons dying of fever in the workhouse
being considered in this statement at the place from which they were brought.
The great stress of epidemic typhus fell on the parts of St. Giles to the South
of Holborn, and to the East of the Seven Dials. The streets leading off the
top of Drury Lane were especially attacked by the fever, and many patients
were taken into the workhouse from the common lodging.houses with which
these streets abound. In all, there occurred in the workhouse 40 deaths from
typhus out of the 85 which were registered in the whole district. Herein may
be observed how much this is a disease of the destitute classes. Of the 40
deaths from typhus in the workhouse, four were among persons who caught
the disease in the house, one nurse and three inmates having died of it.
The distribution through our district of the disorders of infancy and
childhood requires no special comment this year, beyond the observation that
they have been very fatal in Bloomsbury through the recent establishment at
No. 35, Great Coram Street, of a home for illegitimate infants, among whom
there have been many deaths. In the last quarter of 1864, this house was
occupied by a number of children, who, with others, admitted up to the end of
the year, amounted to 49. In the course of three months 15 deaths were
registered among them, chiefly from "exhaustion" and " diseased bowels."
Probably all, or nearly all, might have been correctly entered under " want of
breast milk " as the cause of death.

In a sanitary report it is always of interest to rate the number of births as
well as of deaths. In the above table, the actual number of children born in
each sub.district is given for several years, and in Table VI of the Appendix,
detailed information for 1864 is contained. The small number of births registered
in St. Giles's North last year is noticeable, but it is not worth while to
speculate on the cause of this, seeing that the law has not provided, as it is
most desirable it should do, for the registration of all children that are born.