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8
"natural causes." There were no murders, but four suicides.
Three deaths resulted from alcoholism. Three children were
suffocated in bed with their parents, and one in its mother's
arms, after improper feeding. The mother in this case was
told by the coroner that she had narrowly escaped being committed
for manslaughter. One death resulted from burns by
upsetting a paraffin lamp, and one from dropping a lighted
match.
Though alcohol was only given as the direct cause of death
in three cases it was probably the indirect cause in the majority
of the deaths from violence.
Phthisis.
15. The corrected number of deaths from Phthisis was 70,
giving a death-rate of 1.1 per 1000 compared with 14 and 12 in
the two preceding years. The lowest rate on record for England
and Wales is 1.4 in 1892. In the same year the rate for London
was 1.8. As has been pointed out by the Medical Officer of
Health for Woolwich the death-rate from Phthisis is a very good
index of the Sanitary condition of a community, and the low
rate in Plumstead is therefore very satisfactory. As I pointed
out last year Phthisis is more prevalent in West Plumstead than
in East.
Measles and Whooping Cough.
16. Whooping Cough was fatal in the first quarter of the
year, causing 22 deaths, and 30 in the whole year. Measles
caused 20 deaths, 19 being in the last quarter of the year, and
mainly in December. There is little doubt that the mortality of
this disease might bo greatly lessened if it was regarded more
seriously and its dangerousness better known. By direction of