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various other affections 107, while Typhus and Consumption
destroyed 134 adults at 20—40 years of age. The latter
two diseases diminish especially our " productive hands, and
increase the proportion of the helpless and dependent."
They strike down the fathers in their years of usefulness,
when they have " become essential to the life of others," and
leave behind children who, too often, " inherit and propagate
their shattered constitutions." Against both the grand prophylactic
is the free ventilation of every room. By Consumption,
from 20 to 40 years, the deaths were 110, or more
than half of all who died at the second age. At all ages this
disease was fatal in London and Bethnal Green to 1 in each
359 and 398 persons. Among the Gentry or 1st class, it
caused one out of every 4.43* deaths; among the Tradesmen
or 2nd class, 1 out of every 10.89; and among the Artisans or
3rd class, 1 out of every 8.80. Together, Consumption and
Diseases of the Respiratory organs cut off 65.3 in each 10,000
of our population, or 2.9 per myriad† less than the London
rates in the years 1846—55. In the epidemic class our deaths
increased from 385 in 1856 to 543 in the 53 weeks of 1857 :
their percentage from 20.2 to 23.7. Similarly the epidemics
of London advanced from 10,736 to 10,998; but their percentage
decreased .6. Contrary to what happened in 1856,
the epidemics relatively to population were also higher,—
our ratios of the epidemics and population of London being
A and A during 1856, but 1/20 and A during 1857.
In the years 1837 and 1847‡ Bethnal Green suffered 672
and 452 epidemic deaths. In the former period, Small Pox
numbered 108, and in the latter 42 fatal cases, while in the
year just elapsed it destroyed 5 only. Diminutions so grand
show what preventive medicine can do, and testify to the
* This heavy percentage was in part owing to deaths in the Consumption
Hospital and Lunatic Asylum, and to the largo proportion in the families of professional
clerks and singers.
† Given by Dr. Greenhow, in his Paper on the Death Rates of London, as 68.2.
‡ More correctly, the 3rd & 4th Quarters of 1837, and 1st & 2nd of 1838,
the 4th of 1846, and 1st, 2nd & 3rd Quarters of 1847.