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16
On reference to the table it is seen that of the
total number 70 were due to natural causes, and 108 to
violence. Of the latter, 62 resulted from accident, 18 from
suicide, and 3 from murder. In 3 instances the cause
of death remained undertermined after inquest.
Uncertified Deaths.—The number of deaths in which
the cause was not certified by medical testimony and in
which the Coroner did not deem it necessary to hold
inquests, was 72, as compared with 48 in 1883 and 96 in
1884; of these, 28 occurred in East Battersea, 19 in
West Battersea, 5 in Clapham, 7 in Streatham, and 17
in Wandsworth. The importance of rendering impossible
the burial of a single individual without skilled evidence
as to the cause of death has been urged in former reports,
and it is only necessary to repeat that without it " there
cannot be that security to life which the community has
a right to expect at the hands of the legislature."
Sickness and Mortality amongst the Parochial Poor.—The
nature, amount, and fatality of the sickness that occurred
among the parochial poor in the several sub-districts, as
set forth in Table V. (Appendix), forms a valuable index
of the sickness occurring in the district generally. The
total number of cases coming under treatment numbered
2637 as compared with 2,736 in the previous year. The
proportion of deaths to cases under treatment was 3.6
per cent., as compared with 4.4 per cent. in the previous
year.
Meteorology.—A reference to Table VII. in Appendix
will shew the general characters of the climate during
the year. Taking the year as a whole its average
temperature was higher, and its rainfall very much
lower than the averages of a large number of previous
years. In the third quarter of the year the mean