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quarterly numbers of deaths from all diseases of the nervous
system, were 85, 87, 64 and 80 respectively.
Order 2. Organs of Circulation.—Total deaths, 148; 116
in the Town sub-district, and 32 in Brompton; under five years
of age, 1. The fatal diseases were Pericarditis, 2; Aneurism, 5;
''Heart Disease, etc.," 141. The quarterly numbers of deaths were
39, 39, 29 and 41 respectively. Of the 141 deaths due to "heart
disease," there was one of a child under five, and 16 of persons
between 5 and 35: in the decennium 35-45, there were 18 deaths;
between 45 and 55, 26; between 55 and 65, 26; between 65 and
75, 40; between 75 and 85, 13, and one at 85.
Order 3. Respiratory Organs.—The deaths from "chest
diseases "were 595, viz.:—482 in the Town sub-district, and 113
in Brompton. The deaths under five were 283, nearly 48 per
cent. Seven deaths were returned from spasm of the glottis, but
as these were mostly of infants "found dead in bed," it may be
questioned whether an examination made, possibly, two or three
days after death, would have disclosed any evidence of such a
condition as spasm. In the absence of other apparent cause of
death, the pre-existence of spasm of the glottis, may have been
inferred. It is quite possible, to say the least of it, that some of
the children had been "overlaid"; the same remark being applicable
to cases in which death is attributed to "convulsions,"
when the deceased have in like manner been "found dead in
bed." Laryngitis was the cause of 1 death, Pleurisy of 6,
Asthma of 11, and "Lung Disease, etc.," of 48. The principal
diseases, Bronchitis and Pneumonia caused 400 and 122 deaths
respectively: total 522; of which 97 (less than one-fifth) occurred
in Brompton. Of these 522 deaths, 260 were of children under
five, and 188 of persons above 55 years of age. The diseases
of the respiratory organs are thus seen to be most fatal at the
extremes of life. They are also most prevalent in cold, inclement
wintry weather. Of the 595 deaths last year—the quarterly
numbers being 267, 110, 58 and 160:—427 took place in the
first and fourth or winter quarters, and 168 only in the second and
third or summer quarters.