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45
The Hospital for Consumption and Diseases of the Chest.—
The deaths at this institution were 107, viz., 57 males and 50 females:
29 in the first quarter, 31 in the second, 23 in the third, and 24 in the
fourth; or about an equal number in the winter and summer quarters
respectively. All but six of the deceased were non-parishioners.
This hospital, widely and favorably known, is less strictly a Metropolitan
hospital than many others, drawing patients as it does from
many even distant parts of England. Of the 107 persons who died
there in 1878, rather more than half (58) had previously been resident
in London proper, 24 came from other than Metropolitan counties, and
the remaining 25 came from the suburbs, or " greater London."
The ages at death were as follows:- Between 10 and 20 years, 14;
20 to 40 years, 77; 40 to 60 years, 16. The causes of death as
registered, were—In 86 cases, Phthisis (Consumption) alone; in 12
cases phthisis with complications affecting the heart, the lungs, or the
bowels. Heart disease was the cause of 7 deaths. Aortic disease and
Diabetes each caused one death.
INQUESTS.
The "cause of death "in 176 cases (males 101, females 75) was returned
by the coroner (inquests), and was ascertained in 120 instances by
examination after death. Inquests were held on 60 infants under one
year of age, or more than one-third of the whole number. There were
11 inquests on children between one and two years, and 13 on children
between two and five, so that 84, or nearly half the inquests were held
on the bodies of children under 5. Between 5 and 20 years there were
12 inquests, 52 between 20 and 60 years, and 28 above 60 years.
The apparent ground for holding an inquest was the "suddenness"
of the death in 92 cases; the finding of the dead body in 47 cases*;
"violence" in 32 cases; sundry other causes, 5 cases.
The verdicts returned may be classified thus:—
Diseases of the brain and nervous system (apoplexy,
paralysis, convulsions, &c.) 29
Diseases of the heart and circulatory system 45
Diseases of the lungs and respiratory system 19
Diseases of the bowels 2
Carried forward 95
* In 22 of these 47 cases the dead body was "found in bed:" most of these 22
cases were "violent deaths" of infants suffocated or " overlaid."