View report page

37
Annual Report of the Medical Officer of Heallh—1868—9.
darkens our roads and streets, and which enters every open space and crevice, damaging
stock and furniture: hence every contrivance possible is used to prevent the entrance of air
with which these substances are unfortunately mingled. Sir Francis Head, after describing
a ball room in which are assembled "a dense phalanx, of both sexes, amongst whom are
conspicuous persons of the highest rank, beauty, and wealth in Europe," asks, what is the
state of the atmosphere these grandees are breathing? "If any one will take the trouble,"
he answers, "to put five hundred beautiful little gold and silver fishes into a bladder of the
filthiest water he can obtain, and then attaching a weight throw the whole into a clear,
crystal, stream, he may justly say,—aye, and he may grin as he says it,—Behold an epitome
of a London drawing-room." It has been proved that there annually takes place in England
and Wales "an excess of upwards of 50,000 deaths, which are largely influenced by the
bad ventilation and overcrowding of ill-constructed schools." What is the state of this Hall
at this moment with regard to ventilation? There are no means whatever for this purpose,
except by the windows, and they are kept rigidly closed. Let us hear no more then of the
ignorance and prejudice of the poor; the poor are not one whit more so, than any other
class. There was a time, and that not long ago, when ventilation would have proved as
great an evil as the want of it; and that time was, when the air which came in was saturated
with gases given off from open ditches, filthy streets, grave-yards and cesspools. That now
is no longer the case. We should remember, that the air wo breathe is as much our food, as
the solids wo eat, and the liquids wo drink, and as much care should bo taken that it bo
free from adulteration.
Mesenteric disease destroyed seventy nine children, three more than in the preceding
year; and hydrocephalus destroyed twenty, two less than in the period mentioned.
In the class called Local Diseases, arc included those of the four great systems of the
body, namely, diseases of the brain and nerves, heart, lungs, and bowels.
Hitherto, there has been a gradual increase of deaths from diseases of the brain; in
the year 1868-9 there was a decrease of six, comparing it with that of 1867-8. Convulsions
have been fatal to ton more children, having caused one hundred and seventeen deaths.
Diseases of the heart have been more fatal, and to the extent of fourteen deaths; the same
has happened from diseases of the lungs and digestive organs; the former by an increase
of forty, and the latter by an increase of eight.
Thirty-five deaths were attributed to premature birth and debility. Six infants came to
an untimely end from accidental suffocation, their ages ranging from ton weeks to eight
months. Two males were run over, aged six and ten years. A male, aged 49, was killed
from falling off a ladder; a female, aged 70, from falling over a hoop; and another, aged
47, fell on her face in the street and was suffocated. A male infant was scalded to death
by upsetting upon himself a pot of boiling tea. A new born infant was found dead in Level's
Low, with fractured skull. Five persons hung themselves, all males, the youngest 28,
and the oldest 82 years old. A male and female cut their throats, aged 60 and 30 years.
A female, aged 34 years, poisoned herself with oil of bitter almonds. A female died from
injury to the bowels, caused by the ill-treatment of her husband, who was found guilty of
manslaughter.
A female died in Clarence Street, aged 94 years; and another in Waterloo Road,
aged 95.