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five years; and one in five dies before it has reached the age of one year. The proportion
per cent. in the mortality of children under five years varies in the several
sub-districts, thus—in the Spitalfields it is 69.4; in the Whitechapel North, 61.6; in
the Artillery, 58.5; in the Aldgate, 571; in the Goodman's Fields, 52.7; in the
Mile End New Town, 39.2; and in the Whitechapel Church, it is 22 per cent. In
the entire district, 44 persons only, or 6.3 per cent. of the total mortality died from
the infirmities of age, of that number, 17 were between the ages of 80 and 96.
Having thus briefly considered the general return of the births and deaths, I
shall now proceed to lay before you a statement of those diseases which have caused
the greatest amount of mortality in the District. Of the several groups of diseases,
as arranged by the Registrar-General, it appears that the diseases of the respiratory
organs have been the most fatal; for not less than 174 deaths, or nearly 25 per cent.
of the total mortality have been occasioned by pneumonia, bronchitis, and other lung
diseases, exclusive of consumption. Consumption, which is classed among the tubercular
diseases, proved fatal to 61, or 8.7 per cent. of the total deaths. From the four
above enumerated diseases, the deaths were 235, or 33.5 per cent. of the total
mortality, and in the corresponding quarter of last year, the deaths from the same
diseases were 290, or 395 per cent. The diminution in the number of deaths from
these diseases, and in their proportion per cent. of the total mortality, may be accounted
for, by the fact of the mean temperature of air during the quarter being above the
average temperature (39° 7), and nearly one degree above the mean temperature of
the corresponding quarter of 1860 (38° 9). The excessive cold weather, however,
which prevailed during the first two weeks of the year, when the mean temperature
of the air was only 29° 4 or 6° 8 below the average, the lowest point on one day being
16°, was productive of a very high mortality, for in those twa weeks the total mortality
was 147, or 40 above the average. As the spring advanced, the temperature
of the air increased, which caused a diminution in the number of deaths, so that in
each of the last nine weeks, (with one exception, and that owing to the numerous
deaths in the Londou Hospital occasioned by violence,) the mortality was below the
average. Croup, which is classed among the zymotic diseases, was unusually severe,
21 young children having died from its effects. The total deaths resulting from
epidemic diseases was 83, or 11.6 per cent. In the winter quarter of 1860, the
deaths from these diseases were 88. A considerable increase in the number of deaths
from hooping cough has taken place, 26 against 12. The mortality from fever has
been reduced from 31 to 8. The deaths from small-pox are nearly the same in
number, viz., 13 against 12. Of these deaths, one was an infant at the tender age of
14 days. The continued quarterly diminution in the mortality from fever, which I
have had the satisfaction to report, taken in conjunction with the decrease of the
cases of this disease among the poor, as is shown by the returns of the Medical
Officers of the Union, is a most happy result attendant on the steady application of
those hygienic measures which have been adopted by your sanitary Officers, under
the sanction of your Board; and, although the sanitary state of the district is still
far from being in a satisfactory state, it has nevertheless been much improved within
the last four years. Unfortunately, such is the close, confined, and ill ventilated