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12
The deaths from the principal zymotic diseases were 19, and 5
below the average, including scarlet fever 6, diphtheria 5, and
enteric fever 2. The deaths of children under five rose (from 49)
to 61, including 30 under one year, whilst those of persons aged
sixty and upwards fell (from 58) to 34. The deaths from diseases
of the respiratory organs were 36, including bronchitis 22, and
pneumonia 8. The mean temperature was 44.1°, and 1.3 above
the average.
In the thirteenth and last four-weekly period (49th—52nd
weeks, December 1st to 28th), the death-rate rose to 16.0 per
1000 (the highest rate recorded in 1889), but was 0.8 below the
average: it was also 4.9 below the Metropolitan rate (20.9), this
being 1.3 below the average. The deaths from the principal
zymotic diseases were 15, and 10 below the average, including
diphtheria 5, enteric fever 2, and scarlet fever 1. The deaths of
children under five further rose (from 61) to 66, including 42
under one year, and those of persons aged sixty and upwards rose
(from 34) to 87. The deaths from diseases of the respiratory
organs were 61 (the highest total recorded in 1889), including
bronchitis 45, and pneumonia 9. The mean temperature was
38.4°, and 0.5 below the average.
THE ZYMOTIC DISEASES.
Before entering into details with respect to population,
births, deaths, etc., I propose to consider the sickness and
mortality from the principal diseases of the zymotic class, and
subjects naturally arising out of this topic.
The "Class" of diseases called Zymotic comprises, in the
Registrar-General's arrangement of the "causes of death," six
"Orders." The first and second orders ("Miasmatic" and
"Diarrhœal") include the diseases which the Registrar-General
describes as "the seven principal diseases of the zymotic
class," grouping as he does, under the generic term "Fever,"
the three distinct fevers, "Typhus," "Enteric," and "Simple
Continued."