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14
REPORT
on the
SANITARY CONDITION OF SAINT MARY, ISLINGTON,
FOR JULY, 1858.
No. XVI.
The public health in Islington, as measured by the mortality, appears to have
been slightly above the average of the last two years. One hundred and
ninety deaths from all causes were registered, inclusive of eight, in respect of
which inquests were held during the month. One hundred and eighty-eight,
exclusive of inquests, represents the mean number of deaths in July 1856-7,
which, raised one-tenth for probable increase of population, gives 206 deaths
for comparison with the present year. The mortality from zymotic diseases
(73) while differing little from the corrected mean of 1856-7, has been less by
13 than it was in the corresponding four weeks of last year. Making a comparison
with last month, it is to be observed, that while the weekly mortality
from all causes has been slightly higher than in June, that from zymotic
disease has increased by about one-half. The increase is due to twice as many
cases of summer diarrhoea and measles having been fatal, and to the addition
of four deaths from scarlet fever, and two from small pox. The deaths
registered from diarrhcea were 29 (all but one, young children,) and there has
been one death from infantile cholera. The deaths from diarrhcea and cholera
last year amounted in the four weeks of July to 50. There were only 5 deaths
from typhus. Seven deaths have been attributed to epidemic sore-throat
(or " diphtheria ") as the primary disease ; and in an additional case diphtheria
occurred in conjunction with measles. Of the 7 deaths, six occurred in the
East sub-district. They have not been confined to the families of the poor.
In two instances very clear evidence was afforded of the infectious character
of the disease, which spread through each family, on the arrival from school
of children suffering from sore-throat. I regret to say that scarlet fever has
broken out in James Street, Stroud's Vale, and proved fatal to a child at No. 4.
From the unhealthy mode in which many of the houses are constructed, and
the manner in which the children are permitted to intermingle out of doors, I
fear it will not be the last we shall hear of the disease in this locality. The