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Consumption, although very fatal, appears to boar a less proportion in this district, to
the total deaths, than in the adjoining parishes of the City of London, where, for the quarter
ending at Christmas last, out of 730 deaths, this disease was fatal to 103, or about 1 in 7 ;
whereas, in the Whitechapel district, out of 598 deaths, consumption was fatal to 64, or about
1 in 9. The difference in the mortality produced by consumption in these contiguous districts,
may arise, from the greater number of persons being employed as clerks, warehousemen,
and needlewomen, in the city than in this district, for it is amongst these classes that this
disease is so fatal. The total number of deaths in this district from consumption, for the year
1859, is 273. This large mortality from consumption shows the want of sanitary measures
fully as much as the mortality from zymotic diseases, and perhaps even more so, for the causes,
such as want of light, especially of solar light, and defective ventilation, are, in the narrow
courts, continually in operation, whereas, the ravages of epidemic diseases are only occasional
; although, it is in these confined localities, that epidemic diseases find the most numerous
victims. In order, therefore, that the Board may know the localities where this fatal
scourge has prevailed during the year, I have added a column to the table, in which the deaths
from zymotic diseases and cases of fever are shown, indicating the localities where consumption
was fatal; and it will be seen, on reference to this table, that consumption has found its
greatest number of victims in those localities which are the most confised and worst ventilated.
It will also be seen, on referring to the general mortality table, that out of 273 deaths from
this disease, 130 were of persons between 20 and 40 years of age, and 93 between 40 and 60.
The importance, therefore, of endeavouring to prevent the developement of this disease
cannot be over-estimated, for it is most fatal to those in the prime of life,—at that period of
their existence, when they are the most useful members of society, having families to provide
for, and to educate. In order to mitigate the suffering induced by this disease, the attention
of the local authorities must be most particularly directed to improve those localities where
there is a deficiency of light, and imperfect ventilation. The ill effects of confined and overcrowded
places, are manifested, not only in the production of consumption, but are shown in
the developement of other scrofulous and tubercular diseases, in the imperfect growth of the
system, and in the numerous instances of deformity.
Diarrhoea was very fatal in July and August; in the eight weeks, from July 9th to
August 27th, there were 91 deaths from this disease, and the medical officers of the union attended
634 cases. For the week ending July 23rd, there were 16 deaths from diarrhoea, and
130 cases were attended by the medical officers of the union.
There are 16 deaths registered under the several headings of convulsions, bronchitis,
measles, consumption, diarrhoea, small-pox, and age, which were not certified by a medical
practitioner. The total number of uncertified causes of death for the year, was 47. This is
three more than the number recorded during the previous year. The local registrars record
the following unusual causes of death:—a child, aged 5 years, from tetanus, or "locked jaw,"
the result of inflammation of the eye-lid; a child, aged 3 months, from exhaustion, occasioned
by repeated hæmorrhage from the umbilical chord; a case of acute laryngitis, occurring in a
child on the fourteenth day of the eruption of small-pox; a child, aged 2 years, whose death
was caused from inflammation of the cerebellum, six weeks after the bite of a dog.
The mortality under five years, although excessively high, is rather lower than it was in the
previous year, when, out of 2444 deaths, the mortality under 5 was 1154, or 47.2 per cent.;
and under 1, the mortality was 563, or 23 per cent.; while, in this year, the total mortality is
2321, and the mortality under 5 is 911, or 42.6 per cent.; and under 1 is 513, or 22.1
per cent.
As small-pox still continues to prevail as an epidemic, not only in this district, but in
the metropolis generally, I am again under the necessity of especially directing your attention to
the subject. The present epidemic has now continued for a period of 12 months and upwards;
during which time it has caused the death of 60 persons in the district, exclusive of those who
were removed from it, and who died in the small-pox hospital, and elsewhere.