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11
Association for the Prevention of Consumption and other forms
of Tuberculosis," under the Presidency of the Prince of Wales.
The views formerly held in this country, which attributed the disease
chiefly to a definite hereditary tendency, independent of external conditions,
are found to be no longer tenable beyond the fact that inheritance
involves an increased liability to infection. Dampness, dirt and darkness,
as well as dusty occupations, and the breathing of re-breathed air,
are all frequent predisposing causes. The mortality from consumption
in this country has been reduced by half during the last 50 years, and
the best results have been obtained wherever Sanitary improvements
have been largely carried out by structural alterations, by drying the
soil, by drainage, by ventilation, and by the free admission of sunshine
to the dwellings.
The Tuberculous diseases of children, known as Consumption
of the Bowels, &c., are also believed to be largely due to the introduction
of the bacillus into their systems by the medium of milk
from infected cows taken as food. This latter danger can, to a great
extent, be met by boiling milk for a few seconds.
It is satisfactory to find, with regard to the presence of consumption
in this Parish, that a marked decline in the death rate from this
cause has now been in progress for the last 20 years. The death rate
for the ten years, 1880—1890, averaged 0.99 per 1,000 living population,
but in 1898 had fallen to 0.74, and for 1897 was 0.78. It is stated by
the Registrar-General that the death rates from Phthisis ranged from
0.74 in Hampstead, 1.13 in Wandsworth, 3.17 in Holborn, 332 in
Strand, to 3.34 in St. Giles.
Inquests.—The number of inquests held was 72, the deaths in 39
cases being caused by violence. Three infants perished by infanticide,
and one by asphyxia in arms of mother. Falls, fractures, and contusions
caused 8 deaths. Cases of suicide were more common than usual,
especially in the summer months, no less than 15 deaths being referred to
this cause; six of these caused death by fire arms, four by drowning,
two by wounds with razors, and three by poison, carbolic and nitric
acid being the means employed. Three cases were recorded of death
by misadventure, one of these latter being caused by a dose of hydrochloric
acid given in mistake, one by an overdose of sulphoral