View report page

42
Puerperal Fever was the registered cause of 5 deaths, *
against 9, 6 and 10 in 1888-89-90 respectively; three of them
in the Town sub-district. Three of the deaths were of
women between twenty-five and thirty-five, and two between
thirty-five and forty-five. In addition to these 5 deaths, 10
deaths (one only of them in the Brompton sub-district) were
registered as having occurred in " childbirth," against 10,
7 and 14 in the three preceding years. Puerperal fever is a
communicable disease depending upon " blood poisoning,"
whereas other causes of death connected with childbirth, are,
so to say, accidental, e.g., hemorrhage (" flooding "). The
deaths registered as having been caused by diseases and
accidents associated with parturition (15) were equal to about
4'0 per 1000 live births, against 5 0, 3-5 and 6*2 per 1000 in
the three preceding years respectively.
Class II.—Parasitic Diseases
Include Thrush and Other Vegetable Parasitic Diseases ; and
" Worms, Hydatids and Other Animal Parasitic Diseases."
There were no deaths from these causes.
Class III.—Dietetic Diseases
Were the causes of 12 deaths, all of them in the Town subdistrict-
To Want of Breast Milk— Starvation, one death
was classified ; to Scurvy, none. Delirium Tremens was the
cause of 4 deaths, against 4, 6 and 6 in the three preceding
years respectively ; Chronic Alcoholism of 7 deaths, against
10, 7 and 8. It is scarcely necessary, perhaps, to remark
that, if all the deaths due, directly or indirectly, to the
immoderate use of intoxicating liquors, could be ascertained,
" Alcoholism" would occupy a more prominent
position in the " Bills of Mortality ": but many deaths
* Only five cases of puerperal fever were notified.