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10
Diseases of the Brain and Nervous system are seen in
the Table to have caused the largest number of deaths.
But this class of disease is unduly raised by the mortality
of the Surrey County Lunatic Asylum, (whose inmates are
almost entirely derived from without the parish), and must,
therefore, be excluded from a consideration of the causes of
death proper to this parish. About a sixth part only of
this class belongs to this parish. The zymotic class of diseases
(Epidemic—Endemic—Contagious), stands foremost
in the causation of mortality, having formed 23 per cent. of
all deaths. Next in order of fatality, and no less associated
than the preceding class with bad ventilation, over-crowding,
and other sanitary defects of houses, is the Tubercular
class, (which includes Scrofula, Consumption, &c.,) forming
15 per cent. Diseases of the respiratory organs formed 10
per cent. as in the preceding two years, an amount considerably
below the average. Diseases of the digestive organs
formed 7 per cent. The most fatal of any single disease
was Consumption, which caused 10 per cent of all deaths,
and next to it Scarlatina, which caused nearly 8 per cent.
Twenty-five inquests were held during the year. Six
deaths resulted from violence, two of which were accidental
and four suicidal. In eleven instances the cause of death was
not certified by any Medical Practitioner, so many instances,
therefore, in which death may have resulted from other
than natural causes. Assuming that uncertified deaths
are registered throughout the Kingdom in a similar manner
(and from the Registrar-General's Reports, such would
appear to be the case) it becomes alarmingly apparent how
large is the portal through which evidence of secret crime
may be permitted, in the present state of the law, to pass
undetected to the grave. As has been submitted in previous
reports, the remedy consists simply in the employment