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district, and the remainder in the neighbourhood of the Lower-road. Still the
number of deaths from scarlet fever have not amounted to what was registered
in November, 1858, (29) or in 1859, (38).
Two deaths from small pox in unvaccinated children, one aged 9 months, the
other aged 2 years, have taken place. A third death, counted into small pox on
the table, was registered as from “Varicella.” Seeing that this disease has
been of late more prevalent than usual, 9 cases having occurred in the practice
of the parochial surgeons and dispensaries, I took the liberty of suggesting to the
Board of Trustees the desirableness of requesting their vaccinators to exercise
vigilence in seeking out unprotected children. Among the deaths from heart
disease is registered, for the first time, a death from “embolia,” a form of disease
only recently recognised by the profession, and consisting in the plugging up of
some important vessel (in this case, of the pulmonary artery) with a clot of
blood. Deaths of this kind have formerly been considered as due to syncope or
fatal fainting, apoplexy, mortification, &c., or have been altogether inexplicable
by pathologists. One infant, aged 6 months, died from convulsions induced by
swallowing a portion of bullock's heart.
The table of sickness shows that measles is still on the increase, especially
in the districts attended by the officers of the Hollo way Dispensary, and that
scarlet fever shows at present no indication of declining.
EDWARD BALLARD, M.D.,
Medical Officer of Health.
Veatry Offices,
November 29th, 1862.