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75
precautions. As one might expect, the mortality arising
from Zymotic diseases has fallen on the poorer classes to
a large extent. Out of the 18 deaths from Whooping
Cough, 16 occurred among the labouring classes.
Another striking feature under this heading is the
large proportion of deaths from Tubercular diseases occurring
among the poorer classes. Out of a total of 19
deaths 17 fell amongst this class. This goes far again
to prove the pernicious influence of bad air and bad
nourishment on the health of the community.
Inquests.
Seven inquests have been held during the year.
Of these the causes of death according to the verdicts
were:—
I. Natural Causes, 2.
II. Accidental, 3—Drowning, 2; Hydrophobia, 1.
III. Suicidal, 1.
IV. Found Dead, 1.
The number of inquests have been fewer than usual
during the year. One of these inquests which resulted
in a verdict of 'Hydrophobia but cause unknown'
created considerable interest. It occurred in the case of
a woman rather past the term of middle life. She was
ill for three or four days and died with all the symptoms
of hydrophobia, which the post mortem examination so
far as it went confirmed. The source of infection was
very obscure. She had a small dog which she was in
the habit of kissing and fondling in various ways. She
had an abrasion on the inner side of the lip, and it was
considered possible the poison may have been thus
communicated. The old dog which died soon afterwards
was in a wretched state of health at the time—thick
riscid saliva constantly dribbled from its mouth. The
difficulty was however, that it did not possess any of the
characteristic symptoms of rabies, and the question arose