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69
and Embolism, Thrombosis, of 8. Other Diseases of the Heart
caused 144 deaths, and Other Diseases of Blood Vessels, 3
deaths.
4. Respiratory System.—The deaths from diseases
of the chest, Phthisis being excluded, were 671 (against 745,
853, and 704, in the preceding three years respectively), and 23
per cent. of total deaths. Of these deaths 560 were registered
in the Town sub-district, and 111 in Brompton. The deaths
in the first and fourth or colder quarters, were 228 and 221
(— 449) those in the second and third or warmer quarters, being
134 and 88 (=222. The deaths under five years of age were 210,
or 31.3 per cent. (against 35.3, 32.1 and 34.6 per cent. in the preceding
three years respectively), and at fifty-five and upwards
285, or 42.5 per cent. of the whole number (against 41.2, 44.3,
and 43.3 per cent. in the preceding three years respectively).
These diseases are thus seen to be most fatal at the extremes
of life. The prevalence of them moreover, varies considerably in
different years, depending on the degree of cold in winter and
the general character of that season : they are always most
fatal when fog, especially " London fog," is associated with low
temperature. There was good reason for believing that the
epidemic of Influenza was largely responsible for the fatality
of this order of diseases in 1891 : the same remark did not
appear to apply, or not to the same extent, with regard to the
deaths from diseases of the respiratory organs in 1892 : it is
even less applicable to the mortality in 1893. The
fatal diseases were Laryngitis, 6 deaths ; Croup (transferred
in the new classification from " miasmatic " diseases),
9* ; Emphysema, Asthma, 17 ; Bronchitis, 402 ; Pneumonia,
163; Pleurisy, 33 ; and Other Diseases of the Respiratory
System, 41. Bronchitis and Pneumonia, therefore, were
accountable for 565 deaths (including 177 under five years of
age) of which 82 were registered in Brompton.
* Fifteen cases of membranous croup were notified.