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1. The births that have occurred are 235 fewer than they were in 18G8.
2. The diminution of the births is more marked in the west than in the east
sub-district. There were fewer births registered in the west sub-district by 153,
and in the east sub-district by 82.
3. That the excess of births over deaths was 2,985, while in 1868 it was 3,261,
itself a diminution upon the previous year.
Now something of the same kind has been observed in London at large, since
3,814 fewer births were registered in 1869 than in 1868. The birth-rate of London
was 353 per 10,000 of population in 1869 and 370 per 10,000 in 1868.
The number of new cases of sickness of all kinds recorded in the books of the
Poor Law surgeons, in those of the two dispensaries and of the Pentonville convict
prison, amount together to 36,715. This number is nearly 4,000 less than was
recorded in 1868 (allowing for the difference in the number of weeks included). The
number of cases of disease of the "miasmatic" order, treated by the public surgeons
in 1869, was 5,884; in 1868 it was 6,513. Hence, as the mortality from these
diseases was, on the whole, greater than in 1868, we must infer that the
predominant maladies of this class were of a character to cause naturally a higher
mortality—that is to say, that the maladies were of a more fatal sort. We shall sea
that this was so, for whereas in 1868 the less fatal diseases, diarrhoea and measles,
prevailed excessively, so in 1869 the diarrhoea and measles produced much less
sickness, while scarlet fever and hooping cough, both much more fatal, prevailed
very greatly. They were the epidemic maladies of the year.
CAUSES OF SICKNESS AND DEATH.
Table I. exhibits the several causes of the deaths registered in the parish during
the year, and Table II. the nature of the more important cases of public sickness
recorded in the books to which I have access.
Diseases of the Organs of Respiration occasioned 796 deaths, nearly equally
distributed between the two sub-districts of the parish. Of these nearly one-half,
namely 393, were of children under five years of age, and while the majority of
the remainder, namely 355, were aged 40 years and upwards. The number of
cases in the public practice was 7,290.
Diarrhœal Affections, including dysentery and cholera, occasioned 233 deaths,
a number less by 60 than in 1868. The number of cases recorded in the public
practice was 1,900, or 614 less than in 1868. The summer diarrhœal outburst was
coincident with the sudden rise of temperature above 60° together with absence of rain
in the first weeks of July. The largest number of cases recorded in any week was 146
in the second week after the highest weekly mean temperature of the year had
been attained, viz., 66.9°.