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142 in 1895; 26 deaths were ascribed to the immediate or
remote effects of child-birth, and of that number 10 were
caused by puerperal fever, puerperal septicaemia or puerperal
peritonitis. Tubercular diseases, including phthisis caused 618
deaths, as compared with 635 in 1895 and 579 in 1894. There
were 234 deaths from the various types of cancerous disease,
the figures for 1895 being 194, and for 1894, 185. Inflammatory
affections of the lungs and pleurisy caused 834 deaths,
contrasted with 945 in 1895, and 716 in 1894 ; and of the 834,
451 are of children under the age of five years.
The high figures for tubercular disease in Camberwell
sub-district call for special attention. These do not by any
means imply that there is more disease of this kind in that
portion of the Parish, but are entirely explained by the fact
that the Workhouse and Infirmary deaths are included in
the returns for this district. On reference to the form I have
prepared according to the Order of the Local Government
Board, where the localities are dealt with separately, it will
be seen that a large number of fatal cases of phthisis occurred
in these buildings. The Local Government Board return only
deals with phthisis, while in the Workhouse and Infirmary
there are other deaths from the various forms of tubercular
diseases which are all grouped together under the head of
tubercle in Dr. Bristowe's form, a more satisfactoiy classification
since phthisis is only one form of tuberculosis.
Turning to the diseases classed as zymotic, influenza
has shown a considerable diminution, the figures being 25 in
1896, as compared with 133 in 1895. Hooping cough caused
180, and measles 192 deaths, against 61 and 100 respectively;
the figures for the various sub-districts for these two diseases
are as follows:- In Camberwell, 53 and 54 ;in Peckham, 72 and
89, and in St. George's, 55 and 49. The explanation of the great
difference in the figures relating to the various parts of the
Parish lies in the fact that both hooping cough and measles are
essentially diseases of children, who are always more liable to
attack than adults. In Dulwich, as will be seen by the birthrate,
there are fewer children in proportion to the population
than in St. George's or Peckham, hence the greater number of
susceptible persons in the latter districts. The prevalence of
these diseases in the four seasons of the year varied a good