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Of the 30, 16 were under 5, and 14 over 5 years of age. These
deaths were attributed to such causes as convulsions, heart
disease, consumption (a baby), whooping cough (parents
" peculiar people "), premature birth, hœmoptysis. But the
attributed cause of death being given by a non-medical officer is
not reliable; it is mere guess work. It seems very desirable
that in all cases of death not attended by a medical practitioner
an enquiry should be made by some specially appointed well
qualified medical man. Only in this way is the real cause of
death at all likely to be discovered, and crime prevented.
Inquests.
10. 45 Inquests were held, compared with 43 last year.
They included 17 deaths from violence, the remainder being
from "natnral causes."
11. The deaths from violence included the following: Four
suicides, one under a train, one by various poisons, and two by
cut throats. Three by burns, two children, and one adult, the
adult by upsetting a glass lamp. Six accidental cases of drowning,
one being in a bath at the Infirmary, the rest in the Thames.
Three from falls. Four infants from suflocation in bed.
12. Of the deaths from so-called "natural cases" five were
caused or accelerated by alcoholic excess, one being a case of
apoplexy, two hoemorrhage, and two diseased heart and liver.
Two infants of single women died from neglect at birth, and
one woman presumably attended by a midwife died from postpartum
hoemorrhage. The death of a boy of 9 was attributed to
convulsions from undigested food.