View report page

72
fact is due to defective sanitary arrangements in betterclass
houses.
Inquests and uncertified deaths.—During the year 1879
10 inquests were held. This number is 4 in advance of
last year. The verdicts given may be grouped into—
I. Accident—drowning, 2; fall, 1.
II. Natural—congestion of lung, 1; inflammation of
lung, 1; heart disease, 1.
III. Suicide—Hanging, 1; cut throat, 1.
IV. Found dead,
V. Debility from want of food or improper feeding,
The last-mentioned case is a striking instance of the
danger to which infant life is exposed. The death occurred
at an "Orphanage" in College Street, and was clearly due
to neglect of the commonest rules of infant management,
combined with want of cleanliness. The child, which was
healthy at birth, in six weeks died emaciated to a
degree inconsistent even with ignorance in dietetic
management, and gravely pointing to deficiency in
the amount of nourishment afforded. Besides, want of
sufficient heat and proper cleanliness contributed to the
taking away of the little life. At the inquest the heartless
woman who had charge of the child escaped a charge of
manslaughter only on account of the impossibility of
distinguishing between improper and insufficient feeding
of infants. She was proceeded against however under
the Infant Life Protection Act for not having her house
registered and sentenced to three months imprisonment.
In connection with this matter I may however remark,
that the Act referred to is far from being efficient, limiting
as it does the age of children coming under its protection
in Institutions, to two years, and giving no power to enforce
necessary improvements even in houses registered
under its provisions. Many houses profess to be