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different constitution of the population with respect to age
affects the death rate from certain diseases, as well as the
general death rate from all causes. Taking the tubercular
class as a whole, the death rate in Bermondsey was 3.08 and
in London 3.17.
Developmental Diseases. —In this class there were 158 deaths,
or 9.1 per cent. 38 deaths were attributed to premature birth
and 112 to old age.
Local Diseases. — In this important division 760 deaths were
recorded, or 44 per cent of the total deaths. Diseases of the
brain and nervous system caused 140 deaths, or 8.1 per cent.
There were 22 deaths from apoplexy, 18 from paralysis, 9
from epilepsy, 61 from convulsions, and 30 from other diseases,
including softening and congestion of the brain, etc.
One death was caused by disease of the ear. From diseases
of the heart and circulatory system there were 65 deaths, or
3.7 per cent. Diseases of the respiratory system caused 443
deaths, viz.: croup 36, bronchitis 268, pneumonia 99, pleurisy
4, and other diseases 36.
Diseases of the digestive organs accounted for 67 deaths,
or 3.8 per cent. There were 27 deaths from teething, and 15
from diseases of the liver. To diseases of the kidneys and
urinary organs, only 14 deaths were referred. Under the
head of childbirth, 4 deaths were registered.
Violence. —The deaths attributed to this cause numbered 39.
Under the head of accident or negligence, 6 deaths were
assigned to fractures and contusions, 2 to burns, 5 to drowning,
and 15 to suffocation. A little boy was "suffocated by
impaction of food in the mouth. A girl aged 12 weeks, died
from "Asphyxia, arising upon a distended stomach by food."
A boy aged 4 years died from his night-dress taking fire,
and a man was burnt to death from a house taking fire.
Three bodies were found in the Thames without marks of
violence, or any evidence how they came in the water. The
number of suicides (11) was unusually high.