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REPORT.
Gentlemen,
I have now the honor of submitting to you my Quarterly Report
of the mortality of the Whitechapel District, and the progress of sanitary improvement
therein, for the 13 weeks that ended on Saturday, July 3rd.
During this period, out of a population of about 84,000, there were 538 deaths,
294 males, and 244 females, including 50 non-residents, who died in the London
Hospital. The births during the same period were 687,—333 males, and 354
females.
The number of deaths, although greater than for the corresponding quarter of last
year, is below the average rate of mortality for the five last years, the deaths for the
corresponding quarter of 1853 being 551; of 1854, 599; and of 1855, 584; including
the deaths of non-residents.
The deaths of children under 5 years of age, bear a much greater proportion to
the total number of deaths, than in the corresponding quarter of last year ; the deaths
of young children, for the quarter recently terminated, being 265 out of 538, or about
49 per cent.; whereas, for the corresponding quarter of 1857, the deaths were 213, out
of 521, or 40 per cent. only; but if we deduct from the total mortality, the deaths in
the London Hospital, in which institution 2 deaths only of children under 5 years
occurred, it will be seen that the total mortality under 5 years in the Whitechapel
District, is about 56 per cent., a proportion so large that it deserves our most serious
attention. It appears that diseases most fatal to the young, are measles, hoopingcough,
diarrhoea, mesenteric disease, convulsions, and diseases of the respiratory organs,
(bronchitis and pneumonia.) Six children died from the want of breast milk, and 11
from premature birth.
How to overcome this frightful, and apparently increasing amount of mortality of
the young, is a problem well worthy the attentive consideration of every citizen; the
time may be far distant before this problem is solved; nevertheless, it is my duty to
chronicle facts, and although I may not be able to suggest a remedy to meet this evil,
still, the knowledge that so large an amount of infant mortality does exist in our
district, I may say, at our very doors, will, perhaps, rouse the attention of the philanthropist,
the man of science, and the man of leisure, to investigate its cause, and endeavour
to mitigate it. It is impossible to say how much of this evil is owing to
overcrowding and other defective sanitary conditions, how much is owing to want of
attention of parents, and how much to poverty, and insufficient food and clothing. The