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aid, and there can be no doubt but that it will tend to diminish the great mortality of
children, which now prevails in all our large towns. In this district, the mortality of
children under 5 years of age is about 45 per cent. of the total deaths after deducting
the deaths of the non-resident adults. This large mortality of young children need
not surprise us, when we see how they are neglected by the natural guardians (perhaps
from necessity) and left to the care of other children little older than those who are
intrusted to them, while the mothers are engaged at work. The deaths of 16 persons,
between 80 years of age and upwards, are recorded during the last quarter, one of whom
was a female, aged. 99. A woman aged 92, met with her death by contusions produced
by a fall while in a state of intoxication.
The number of births registered during the last quarter was 759, viz., 383 males,
and 376 females; and the deaths, excluding those of the non-residents, were 552. The
increase of births over deaths, therefore, has been 207, but the increase is probably
greater, for all the births are not registered,* the act in England for the registration
of births, not being compulsory, as it is in Scotland.†
The cases of illness among the out-door poor, attended by the medical officers of
the union, during the last quarter, were 2936, or about 225 new cases per week.
The cases of illness which occurred in the Workhouse were 375, including 1 of smallpox,
1 of scarlet fever, I of hooping cough, 26 of diarrhoea, 4 of erysipelas, and 40 of
fever. The whole of the cases of fever and the greater number of the other epidemic
diseases occured among the out-door poor, and were removed into the Workhouse.
Although I am able, at the present moment, to speak so favorably of the comparative
immunity of this district from the ravages of fever, yet it is with much regret that I
have to record so many deaths from small-pox. No less than eight deaths from this
disease have occurred within the last three months; whereas, during the preceding
two years, only seven deaths were recorded, viz., 3 in 1857 and 4 in 1858.
The number of cases of small-pox attended by the Medical Officers of the Union
during the last quarter was 44, while only 20 were attended during the twelve months
terminating on the 1st January, 1859. The increase in the number of cases of this
loathsome disease is much to be lamented, more especially as it is known that, by
proper precautions, its fatal effects can be prevented. The disease appears to have
prevailed more extensively in the north-eastern districts of the Union, which are under
the medical charge of Mr. Richardson and Mr. Champneys. It appears from the
returns of Mr. Richardson, that 3.7 per cent. of the total number of cases of sickness,
were cases of small-pox; and from the returns of Mr. Champneys, the proportion of
small-pox cases to the cases of sickness was 2.6 per cent. The proportion in
Mr. Blackwell's district was 1.3 per cent.; and in Mr. Sequeira's district, only 2 cases
of small-pox are recorded out of 1,170 cases of sickness. In the records of the 44 cases
of small-pox attended by the Medical Officers of the Union, it is stated that 6 were
unvaccinated, and that 4 had been previously vaccinated; but the particulars relating
to the number and appearance of the cicatrices are not given. In the remaining cases,
no particulars are given as regards the previous vaccination or otherwise of the patients.
* See report for the quarter ending 26 September, 1857.
t 17 & 18 Vict. c. 80, sec. xxvii.