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the cause of death in the three males, aged respectively 63, 45
and 40, being hanging in two cases, and poison (laudanum) in
one case.
The Homicidal Deaths were of a female child aged 3
(by what means is not stated,), a female aged 32, on whom some
unknown person procured miscarriage, a female aged 48, knocked
down by a horse, and two newly-born children from "want of
attention at birth."
Among the deaths described as "sudden," "found dead,"
etc., 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, on 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.
The inquest cases in Kensington were equal to 5.5 per cent.
of the total deaths, the rate in the Metropolis being 7.4 per cent.
and in England and Wales 5.6 per cent.
The reported deaths from different forms of violence were
equal to 2.5 per cent. of the deaths from all causes in Kensington,
3.7 per cent. in the Metropolis, and 3.3 per cent. in
England and Wales.