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Of 383 persons belonging to Shoreditch dying in public institutions situate beyond
the limits of the Borough, 229 died in general hospitals including 37 in hospitals for
children; 38 died in the fever hospitals of the Metropolitan Asylums Board; 80 died
in asylums; 10 in hospitals for special diseases; 20 in workhouses and infirmaries
and 6 in other institutions. Elsewhere than in public institutions 11 persons belonging
to Shoreditch died beyond the limits of the Borough. Altogether 839 persons
belonging to Shoreditch died in public institutions.
SICKNESS AMONGST THE POOR.
During the year 1903 some 3,527 cases of illness came under the treatment of
the district medical officers in connection with their work at the public dispensary, as
compared with 3,403 in 1902, 3,883 in 1901, and 3,267 in 1900. An analysis of the
cases is contained in table VII. (appendix). The diseases classed as infectious were
responsible for 624 of the cases, and included 209 of consumption or phthisis, 106 of
measles, 75 of diarrhoea, 73 of influenza, and 42 of pneumonia. Rheumatism was a
common complaint of which there were 287 cases. Gout was the cause of the trouble
in 53 cases. The cases of cancer numbered 30 as compared with 12 in 1902, 31 in
1901, 33 in 1900, 18 in 1899, 9 in 1898, 15 in 1897, 21 in 1896, 15 in 1895, 27 in 1894,
and 23 in 1893. The effects of old age oaused some 99 persons to seek treatment.
Diseases of the nervous system were responsible for 185 cases, and diseases of the
heart and blood vessels for 164 cases. Diseases of the respiratory system accounted
for 823 of the cases, of which 772 were cases of aoute or chronic bronchitis. Diseases
of the organs of digestion gave rise to 269 cases, of which a large proportion were
dyspepsia. Enteritis or gastro-enteritis was the cause of trouble in some 50 infants.
Diseases of the locomotive system, which in a large proportion mean ulcerated legs,
numbered 157 cases, and diseases of the skin 93 cases. Various forms of violence
occasioned 116 cases, and some 462 consisted of cases of debility, marasmus and
other causes not classified.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
The various infectious diseases which are numbered 1 to 35 in Table V. (see
appendix) caused 762 deaths, as compared with 767 in 1902, and 762 in 1901. The
deaths from these diseases were a little over 33 percent. of the deaths from all causes.
Almost half of the deaths from the infectious diseases resulted from phthisis or consumption
and the other forms of tuberculosis. The death-rate due to infectious
diseases amounted to 6'5 per 1,000 inhabitants.

The above figures show that deaths from infectious disease in Shoreditch were
much more numerous during the first year of life than in any of the subsequent age