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74
SPECIAL CAUSES OF DEATH.
CLASS 1. ZYMOTIC DISEASES.
Having already (at page 12) treated of the deaths from the principal
diseases of the Zymotic class, I now proceed to offer some
observations on the mortality from the remaining diseases included
in the first order in this "class," viz., Miasmatic.
Croup was the registered cause of 16 deaths, 13 in the Town
sub-district, 3 in Brompton, and 10 under five years of age. The
deaths in 1879 from this cause were 25. It is satisfactory to note
the reduction in 1880, as I had occasion in my last annual report
to observe that this disease appeared, like diphtheria, to be on the
increase of late years. The deaths from diphtheria, however, as
we have seen were again in excess of the average.
Erysipelas was the cause of 24 deaths, 3 under five years of age,
as compared with 9 in 1879. Only one of the deaths occurred in
the Brompton sub-district.
Puerperal Fever (Metria) was the registered cause of 13 deaths,
10 in the Town sub-district, and 3 in Brompton. The numbers in
the five previous years were 13, 6, 12, 6 and 6. The deaths were
of women between 15 and 25, 4; between 25 and 35, 6; and
between 35 and 45, 3. There were also 13 deaths ascribed to
child-birth, viz., 2 between 15 and 25 years, and 6 and 5 in the
two following decades respectively. The distinction between the
two classes of cases is this, that while Metria is a specific and
highly contagious disease, deaths from 'childbirth' simply, may be
regarded as mainly due to accidental causes, e.g. hemorrhage,
("flooding,") etc. The total deaths registered as having been
occasioned by, or occurring in, childbed, were 26, equal to 0.5 per
cent. on registered births.
Rheumatism was the cause of 16 deaths—12 of them in the
Town sub-district, and 14 above five years of age. In many of the
fatal cases of Rheumatism the immediate cause of death is heart