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raised one-twentieth or to 245 for increase of population, exhibits an excess of
44 deaths against this year. The deaths under 20 years of age in March last
year were 119, those from zymotic diseases 41, from hooping-cough 6, and
from fever 9; those from diseases of the organs of respiration 52, and from
consumption 31.
The sickness among the poor appears also to have increased slightly, but
the weekly mean of cases of the zymotic class of diseases has not exceeded
that of February; taking these diseases separately, hooping-cough and diarrhoea
have been more frequently met with in the returns; no variation worth noticing
has occurred in respect of pulmonary affections. The total number of
cases entered by the Parochial Surgeons last year, during the corresponding 5
weeks, was 886, of which 103 were of the zymotic class of diseases, and of these
40 were diarrhoea and 5 fever. In all these respects the comparison is favourable
to the present year, but the acute diseases of the respiratory organs
have continued in excess of those which occurred last winter.
EDWARD BALLARD, M.D.,
Medical Officer of Health.
42, Myddelton Square,
April 8th, 1858.