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105
The suicidal deaths comprise eight of males and four of
females ; two of the latter by poison (belladonna and carbolic acid),
and one each by hanging and drowning.
The homicidal deaths were of a man who was fatally injured
by a stone thrown at him in the street, and three newly-born
children cast out in public places—presumably non-parishioners
and illegitimate.
Among the deaths described as . sudden,. there were, as
usual, many from curable visceral diseases, and there must have
been culpable neglect of the deceased, in that medical attendance
had not been procured, although the illnesses extended over many
days, and could not have failed to be marked by obvious symptoms
of a more or less serious and painful nature. The mere finding
of the . cause of death . in such cases, seems scarcely to satisfy
the requirements of justice ; considering that the death of any
person—but particularly of one very young or very aged—from
such diseases as pneumonia, bronchitis, &c., when there has been
no medical attendance, raises a presumption of neglect which
would justify a verdict of . manslaughter; . equally as in the
case of the . peculiar people,. who, whilst treating their sick
with care in other respects, refuse, 011 mistaken .conscientious.
grounds, to employ medical assistance, and who, as a consequence
of such refusal, death having ensued, have, on several occasions,
been found guilty of manslaughter.
METEOROLOGY.
The mean temperature of the air at Greenwich, in 1886, was
480.7 Fahrenheit, 0.1 above the average of 115 years, but 0.7
below the average of 45 years : the means in the four quarters
respectively were, 36.5, 52.5, 61.2, and 44.6. The highest
reading by day (89.8) was registered in the week ended July
10th, and the lowest reading by night (16.5) in the week ended
January 9th. The means of the highest weekly readings by day,
in the four quarters respectively, were 64.1, 85.6, 89.8,
and 79.2 ; and of the lowest readings by night, 16.5, 29.1,
E