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64
1. Nervous System.—Diseases of the nervous system
were the registered causes of 293 deaths (against 318, 321,
and 327 in the preceding three years respectively), viz., 220 in
the Town sub-district and 73 in Brompton: 76 of the deaths
were of children under five years of age. The quarterly
numbers were 84, 65, 61 and 83. The fatal diseases were
Inflammation of Brain or Membranes, 25 deaths; Apoplexy,
Softening of Brain, Hemiplegia, Brain Paralysis, 137 (97 in the
Town sub-district, 40 in Brompton, and 121 at ages over fortyfive);
Insanity, General Paralysis of the Insane, 12; Epilepsy,
12; Convulsions, 59, (56 under five, and 44 under one year);
Laryngismus Stridulus (spasm of glottis) 1: Disease of the
Spinal Cord, Paraplegia, Paralysis Agitans, 10; Other
Diseases of Nervous System, 37. convulsions as a cause of
death is frequently associated, in medical certificates, with
definite diseases, and with "teething." The convulsions being
a symptom only, such deaths are classified to the primary
disease named, or to dentition, as the case may be.
Laryngismus Stridulus (spasm of the glottis), included in the
new classification with diseases of the nervous system, is
sometimes assigned as the cause of death of children "found
dead in bed." In the absence of other apparent cause of
death, the pre-existence of spasm of the glottis may have
been inferred: but it is quite possible, to say the least of it,
that the children had been suffocated—a remark even more
applicable to deaths attributed to convulsions, in the case of
children found dead in bed. The cause of death in such
cases—whether spasm of the glottis or convulsions be
returned—can be only guessed at when the child has not
been seen to die; for examination after death cannot prove
the occurrence of spasm during life, and there is no pathological
condition which would enable one to say positively,
that a child had suffered, still less that it had died, from
convulsions.
2. Diseases of the Organs of Special Sense (e.g.,
of Ear, Eye, Nose), are comprised in this Order. Four
deaths were registered from these causes.