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18
The mortality from these diseases is seen to have been
greater than the average of the preceding ten years by
nearly a fourth part. The excess was principally due to
a severe Epidemic of Whooping Cough and Diarrhoea, which
prevailed during the whole year, but mostly in the autumn;
two thirds of all deaths from Epidemic disease having been
due to these two diseases, all the victims of which were
under the age of 5 years, and most of them under 1 year
of age. Fever in its several types was, as usual, present
during the whole year, but was not attended by any unusual
fatality. Measles prevailed to a considerable extent in
November and December: and Scarlatina, although present
from May to the end of the year, was neither very prevalent
nor fatal; indeed this Sub-district enjoyed a great
immunity from the Epidemic, which in the Metropolis
generally and elsewhere, was so extensively prevalent and
destructive of life. It is satisfactory to have to record the
absence of any death from Small-pox, and the almost
entire absence of this disease, three isolated cases only
having come under treatment amongst the parochial poor
during the year.
Sickness and Mortality amongst the parochial poor.—
Table 5 in the Appendix exhibits the nature, amount, and
fatality of the sickness which came under treatment
amongst the parochial poor during the year. This portion
of the general sickness, which is accurately known and recorded,
furnishes a means, and at present the only one, of
judging of the amount and general character of the whole
which has prevailed. The amount of sickness was in
excess of the average of the preceding ten years by upwards
of ¼th; its resulting mortality was also greater than the
average by about a tenth part; but relatively to the
number of cases of sickness it was less, having formed
2'G2 per cent., as compared with 3.10 per cent., the corresponding
average. Epidemic diseases formed 19 per cent.
of all cases of sickness, and the deaths from these diseases
formed 29 per cent. of all deaths. The conclusion derivable
from these data is, that the heightened mortality of
the Sub-district during the past year resulted from disease