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104
The total deaths that occurred from the above diseases
during the past year are seen, on reference to the table,
to have been 71; this number is 41 less than that of the
previous year, and 30, or nearly one-fourth part less
than the decennial average. 67 belonged to the Epidemic
class: the deaths from each disease of this class are
seen to have been below the average, with the exception
of Measles and Diarrhoea, from both of which they exceeded
the average number by 6. Measles prevailed to
a considerable extent during the first eight months of
the year, but mostly in the Summer and early Autumn,
when Diarrhoea was also most prevalent. The deaths
from these two diseases occurred almost entiiely to
children under five years of age, and in the case of the
latter disease, with four exceptions, exclusively to infants
under one year of age. Whooping-Cough resulted in
8 deaths, being 14 less than the average. Enteric Fever,
in 6 deaths, or 1 below the average; and Scarlet Fever
in 1 only, but 5 occurred in the Asylum Board's hospitals.
Inclusive of these the number is 5 less than the
average. Small-pox, as in the previous year, was entirely
absent, in reference to which the following extract
from the Return of Vaccination made by the Vaccination
Officer to the Local Government Buard may be here fitly
introduced.
Vaccination. Respecting the vaccination of children
whose births occurred in 1886, it appears from such return
that of the 1,260 children born, 1,042 were successfully
vaccinated, 120 died unvaccinated, 21 were postponed
on account of sickness, 5 were certified as "insusceptible,"
and 2 removed to places duly notified,
leaving 70 or 5.5 per cent. who had removed to places
unknown or out of reach.
The following table shews the months in
which the deaths from epidemic diseases occnrred,
with the mean temperature of each quarter.
The great majority of these deaths is seen to have