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the end of last year, became again unmistakeably epidemic; measles, which was
slightly in excess of its average mortality; typhus and other fevers, which,
however, were much less prevalent in 1866 than in any of the four preceding
years; and diarrhcea, a disease that is to be expected to prevail largely when
cholera is epidemic. Of zymotic diseases less prevalent than usual, scarlatina
and diphtheria are the chief.
Among other groups of diseases, those of the respiratory organs, consumption,
heart and brain disorders, have been fatal to an average, or a little
above an average, degree.
The divisions of London habitually contribute unequally to the death.
registers. In 1866 however, the difference between them was more marked
than usual, the brunt of the cholera epidemic having been borne by the
Eastern districts. The appended table (I.) will show that the East suffered
a mortality half as large again as the "West of London. The central districts,
among which St. Giles' is placed, had a high mortality, but scarcely greater
than that of the five previous years taken together.
Section II.— On the Mortality of St. Giles's in 1866, from all Causes.
Comparison with other Districts.
The mortality of the central districts of London in 1866 was 26.75 per
thousand; that of St. Giles' was 29.05. This is about the same excess of
mortality of our district over that of its neighbours, that we have habitually
to observe.
In 1866 the deaths registered in St. Giles' numbered 1492, after correction
for several deaths recorded twice over. The further correction required
by the circumstance that St. Giles' has no hospital within it, and that its
parishioners, when not paupers, largely seek medical aid from the charities of
neighbouring districts, adds to the registered number a further 114 deaths.
But as 36 of the registered deaths occurred among children in the Infants'
Home, who had no previous connexion with the district, but died there soon
after admission, that number has been deducted, and the mortality of St.
Giles' with Bloomsbury as finally corrected becomes 1570.
Similar corrections having been made for the districts immediately
adjacent to St. Giles's, comparison of their mortality shows that our district
has a fractionally higher death.rate than Holborn, and an appreciably higher
rate than any other of our neighbours. St. Pancras and Marylebone are
below, and the Strand and St. Martins, as well as Holborn, are above, the
mean death.rate of the metropolis for the year. These facts are shown on
the table of the opposite page, and a* summary of them for a series of years
is given below.

* Correction is here made for the longer duration of the registration years 1857 & 1863.
Also for all deaths in hospitals and outlying Workhouses.
The sex of persons dying in St. Giles' in 1866 was, males 817, females
753. Of the males, 68 died in various hospitals; of the females 48; the
excess of males being as usual great among such persons, inasmuch as accidents,
to which men are mere exposed, constitute a frequent reason for their
being taken to hospital.