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61
As might be anticipated from a consideration of the
causes by which the death register is unduly augmented,
Diseases of the Brain and Nerves (Class 3) will be seen,
on comparing the several classes in the foregoing Table,
to have a great numerical excess. For reasons similar to
those referred to in the determination of the death-rate,
the proportion borne by this class of diseases can have no
relative value in estimating the causation of mortality
proper to this parish. Excluding this class, the first in
order of fatality was Class 5 (Diseases of the Organs of
Respiration), which formed upwards of one-fifth of all
deaths. Two-thirds of the deaths recorded under this
class were due to Bronchitis, which was the most fatal
single disease, in this respect taking the place usually
occupied by Consumption which was of average amount.
Class 2 (the Tubercular) next formed 14 per cent., corresponding
with the average. The next most fatal was
Class 1 (the Zymotic, Endemic, Epidemic, and Contagious),
which usually takes precedence of the others, forming 10
per cent. The classes which were in excess of the corresponding
averages of the past ten years were Class 3
(Diseases of the Brain, &c.), to the extent of one-sixth;
Class 5 (Diseases of the Organs of Respiration), nearly
three-fifths; Class 6 (Diseases of the Digestive Organs),
one-fourth; and Class 8 (Diseases of the Generative
Organs), slightly. All the other classes were below the
average (but not to an extent requiring any special comment),
with the exception of Class 1 (the Zymotic), which
was about 30 per cent, less than the average. The
unusually great diminution in the fatality from this class,
and the excess in that of Class 5, are the most noteworthy
points for observation in the Table.
Age at Death.-As might be anticipated from the
greatly-diminished prevalence of the diseases principally
incidental to childhood, the mortality of infants was considerably
below the average. The deaths of infants during
the first year of life were 21 per cent.; of infants under 5
years of age, 31 per cent. ; and of persons under 20 years
of age, 38 per cent, of all deaths. Fourteen deaths were