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6
It will be seen from the foregoing table that both the Infantile
Mortality Rate and the Zymotic Death Rate for 1898 are the highest
recorded during the eight years, the chief factor in these high rates
being the severe epidemic of infantile Diarrhœa that occurred during
the latter part of the summer, the infantile mortality from this cause
alone reaching 95.7 per 1000.
In 1892, when these rates were also much above the average, the
chief factors were Whooping Cough and Measles, which prevailed during
that year with great severity.
Tn 1898 the deaths from Zymotic Diseases other than Diarrhoea
were very few, and the general death rate, apart from this disease,
would not have been above the average.
Births.
The number of births registered as having taken place in the
district during 1898 was 1,103, and of the births in the Edmonton
Workhouse 9 belonged to the district; total 1,112.
This, with the estimated population as a basis of calculation, gives
a birth rate of 31.03 per 1000.
Inquests.
59 of these enquiries were held in the district during the year; 21
were on cases of infants under 1 year of age.
In 16 of the total number of cases the cause of death was found to
be due to other than natural causes; 3 were suicides (2 by cut throat
and 1 by drowning), in 4 the death resulted directly or indirectly
through the drunkenness of the deceased, in 1 case (in which an
exhumation took place) death occurred as an indirect result of a blow
struck in self-defence, and the remainder were accidental. No charge
was brought against any person as the result of any of the enquiries,
but a fine was in one instance imposed for non-attendance.
I would remind the Council that the mortuary and inquest room
are not only inadequate for the purpose, but are situated more than a
mile from any public conveyance, and that much inconvenience and
unnecessary loss of time is thereby caused to those who are called upon
to attend them, and it should be remembered that in the majority of
instances the witnesses are quite poor people, unable to provide a
conveyance for themselves.
The inquest room itself is occupied to its full capacity in an
ordinary case, and in one exciting any public interest is much overcrowded;
for the public and for the press there is practically no