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of the lungs, the deaths were rather less numerous than common. The nature
of the seasons in 1862, so far as they bear on the prevalent causes of death,
may be summed up by saying that the temperature was more even, higher in
the winter months, and lower in the summer months, than usual, and that
there was throughout the year a larger rainfall than is common for the
metropolis.
It was especially the Eastern and Central divisions of the metropolis that
suffered from the high mortality of 1862. In the Central districts, which
include St. Giles' at the one end and the City Unions at the other, the
death-rate was most especially high, exceeding not only that of any recent
year but even exceeding the average of the ten years that preceded 1857.
Table I. of the Appendix will show the incidence of mortality on each group
of districts.
The largest number of deaths occurred as usual during the first and last
quarters of the year, the smallest number in the third quarter. This variation
is mainly due to the unequal distribution of deaths from lung disease.
But other disorders not so directly dependent on temperature, also exhibited
notable fluctuations. Thus, measles and scarlatina were increasingly fatal
through the year, so that in the fourth quarter these two disorders caused
twice as many deaths as in the first quarter. Small-pox too was giving
threats, before the year was out, of the epidemic character it was about to
assume. On the other hand whooping-cough and typhus declined from the
earlier to the later part of the year. Diarrhoea culminated of course in the
hot season. The fourth of the tables appended to this report shows in detail
the progress of each class of disease through the four quarters of the year.
SECTION II.—On the Aggregate Mortality of Saint Giles' in 1862.
Comparison with other Districts.
The mortality of London and of the central districts being thus high, the
death rate of St. Giles' was of course also in excess. In the year 1862, the
large number of 1563 deaths occurred among residents in St. Giles' district.
This number represents a rate of 28.9 per 1000 inhabitants, being a considerable
increase above the death rate of any recent year.
Of the 1563 deaths, 1483 were registered within the boundaries of
St. Giles' and Bloomsburv; and 80 occurred in the Hospitals of other districts
(Appendix II.) There was, as usual, a large excess of deaths among males,
814 of them having died to 749 of the other sex. Fifty-four of the 80 Hospital
deaths were among males.
The average age at death was 27 years and 10 months. Four hundred
and seventy-six infants died before they were two years old, and 191 others
between the age of two and five. Forty-three out of every hundred deaths
therefore were those of children under 5 years old.
In the Table on the opposite page, a detailed comparison is given of the mortalitv
of St. Giles', with that of the several districts that surround it. Correction
has been duly made in each instance for deaths in Hospitals and
outlying Workhouses. It will be seen that there is, as usual, a higher death
rate in St. Giles' than in any of the neighbouring districts, and no less than 5½
per 1000 above the average of London. In 1862, however, as in the preceding
year, Holborn had a mortality so exceptionally high, as to rank this district