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TO THE
Uestrn of St. Grorge, Hanober Square.
My Lords and Gentlemen,
We are sorry to have to report that the mortality
in the parish during the 13 weeks ended December
28, 1861, was unusually high; for no fewer than 535
deaths appear in the Table annexed to this Report. The
average number of deaths in the parish during the corresponding
quarters of the last ten years has been nearly
400; so that even if we make allowance for the 66 nonparishioners,
who have died this quarter in St. George's
Hospital, and for the 9 of our parishioners, who have died
in the Little Chelsea Workhouse, it will be evident that
about 9 persons have died every week of this quarter
above the average.
When we come to the causes, we find at once that
this great mortality is due distinctly to the prevalence
of zymotic or epidemic disease. There is some slight
increase in the number of deaths from consumption,
and from other diseases of debility at all ages; but the
main increase is in the number of deaths from zymotic
disease. During the last five years the number of deaths
per quarter for this class of diseases, has ranged from 47
to 115, the average being 86; during this last quarter the
number has been 154, of which 122 were deaths of persons
under 20.