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WORKHOUSE.
Twenty-two deaths have occurred here during the five weeks; one death was
from diarrhoea and one from typhoid fever; only 9 cases of diarrhoea have
occurred. Influenza has during the last week been very prevalent throughout
the house, and is much on the increase. This disease has also been very
prevalent throughout the parish.* The weekly average number of inmates
has been 1,484.
REVIEW OF THE SUMMER QUARTER.
During the 13 weeks ending September 26th, 1857, there were registered in
the parish of Saint Pancras 965 deaths. During the corresponding quarter of
1856 the number was 983. The average derived from the corresponding quarter
in the ten preceding years was 995, which becomes, when raised for increase of
population, 1,094. It is thus seen that the mortality of the late quarter has
been nearly 12 per cent. below the average of 10 years. These years included,
however, the Cholera Summers of 1849 and 1854; but even making allowance
for this fact, the late season has been, as measured by the mortality, a more than
usually healthy one.
As compared with last year, there has been a diminution in the number of
deaths from small pox, measles, scarlatina, hooping cough, and low fevers, and
an increase in the number from diarrhoea; this is seen in Table I.
Meteorology.—The heat of the last quarter has been much above the average.
The mean temperature was 63°.6, which is 3½ degrees above the average.
Seventy-one days out of 91 were hotter than usual, and the mean temperature
of 12 out of the 13 weeks was in excess of its average.
The mortality of the entire metropolis during the last quarter was 14,352,
which is greater than the mortality of the same period in 1856. So that the
metropolis generally has been less healthy than during the Summer of 1856,
although Saint Pancras has been more healthy. The increased mortality in
London at large has been due to the increased prevalence of diarrhoea, and it
has been seen that even in this parish diarrhoea has been fatal to a larger number
this year than last; hut the increase has been proportionally less here than in
other parts of London. The hottest weeks were the 3rd, 4th, and 9th, weeks
of the quarter. The weeks in which the highest mortality from diarrhoea was
registered were the 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th. The largest number of cases of
diarrhoea were treated by the District Surgeons from about the 17th to the last
day of July. In the Workhouse the greatest number of cases of diarrhoea
occurred during the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th, weeks.
As compared with last year, although the mortality from this disease has been
higher, yet the number of cases occurring, as far as can be judged from the
practice of the District Surgeons, have been fewer, so that the disease, when it
has existed, has been of a more fatal character this year than last. The mortality
from diarrhoea in the metropolis during the quarter has been 2,343, which would
give to Saint Pancras, if this parish had borne its share in proportion to population,
166, whereas in reality the deaths from this disease numbered 125.
Sanitary Works.—239 houses have been visited. 104 slaughter-houses and
144 cow-sheds have each been visited several times. 116 notices have been
served for the removal of nuisances and the improvement of house property.
There have been eight summonses taken out for cases of ordinary nuisances in
houses; 7 cow-keepers have been summoned for the filthy state of their premises;
two butchers have been summoned and fined for slaughtering in unlicensed
places; and large quantities of putrid fish, meat, and rabbits have been seized.
I have the honor to remain, Gentlemen,
Your obedient Servant,
THOMAS HILLIER, MD., L.R.C.P.
21, Upper Gower Street.
* This circumstance gives additional confirmation to the fears which I expressed in my Report
of last month, that England would within the next twelvemonth be attacked with cholera. For
epidemics of influenza have almost invariably preceded epidemics of cholera.