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16
Parish of St. George the Martyr, Southwark.
death, rate of 1,273 persons who had been vaccinated, but who had taken the small pox,
reached a little over 9 per cent.; whilst that of 247 persons afflicted with small pox, and
who had not been vaccinated, was 47 per cent., nearly four times as great. Vaccination
when carefully, efficiently, and universally performed, will render small pox historical—a
thing of the past. 197 persons died of diseases of the brain and nerves; still an increase
in the affections of these important organs. Deaths of disease of the heart are the same in
number as in the year, 1863-4.

Those of the lungs are less by 6. Fifty deaths were referred to violence. Fifteen of these
were children, their ages ranging from 10 days to 9 months, and were found suffocated in bed.
A child aged 1 year, died from exhaustion, the result of a blister: another, newly born,
was found dead in King Edward Street. A male, 3 years old, was scalded to death, by
falling into a tub of hot water; and 1, aged 4 years, died from upsetting over herself a cup
of boiling cocoa. Four persons were burnt to death from their clothes taking fire; 2 of
them were children, and 2 were elderly people : one of the latter fell into the fire whilst in
a fit. A male, aged 32 years, died from the effects of a pail falling on his head. A male,
28 years, was carried off by inflammation of the lungs, the result of falling from a barge
into the Thames. A child, aged 2 years, was suffocated from a piece of fat sticking in his
throat. A male, 66 years old, fell from a window and was killed; another, aged 20 years,
died from a bag of coffee falling upon him, and rupturing his bowels. Three persons died
from internal injuries, having been run over, aged respectively 7, 29, and 67 years. A
male, aged 7, was poisoned by drinking muriatic acid in a mistake. A female and 2 males
hung themselves. Two persons poisoned themselves, 1 aged 47, by taking prussic acid;
and the other, aged 49, by taking nux vomica. Two males cut their throats. A new born
infant was found wilfully murdered. The oldest age registered was that of a man who
died 97 years old; ho lived in Westminster Road.
We have as usual visited the bake-houses, cow-houses, and slaughter-houses, and have
seen the requirements of the various "Acts" carried out.
I cannot give you the analyses of the waters of the Southwark and Lambeth Companies,
owing to the death of Dr. Robert Dundas Thomson, F.E.S. Professor Hoffman, F.R.S.,
has now undertaken to perform the duty, so they will be continued as heretofore. The
necessity and value of pure water is hardly held at its true importance. A number of diseases
destructive to life, or, anyhow rendering life miserable, may be conveyed by its
means into the system; varying from the sudden and fatal attack of cholera, to the nameless
wretched sensations and nervous affections dependent on indigestion. Water forms
more than half the weight of the body, and is the medium by which the most important of
its functions are carried on. The steps taken against the Corporation of Kingston were