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Thus, during the year 1856 the deaths from measles were only 12; in 1860 they were
81; and in 1857, the deaths from small-pox were only 3, while in 1859 they were 60 I
cannot offer any explanation of the increase of one class of epidemic diseases, and the
diminution of another; but, whatever may be the primary cause of any of these diseases,
there can be no doubt that, for the most part their effects are intensified by filth, overcrowding,
and defective ventilation The bad effects of overcrowding, and of the nonobservanee
of other hygienic rules are seen in the large mortality of all the registration
districts; but, from the circumstance of so many of the poor, when they are ill, being
conveyed either to the workhouse or to the hospital, it is extremely difficult to ascertain
in which registration district the greatest relative mortality prevails Of the 2,331 deaths,
there were 1,074, or 46-0 per cent of persons under five years of age, and of these, 501, or
21-4 per cent were of infants under the age of twelve months The mortality under five
years of age during the preceding year was 1045, or 45-3 per cent of the total deaths It
is chiefly amongst the poor that the greatest infantile mortality prevails The laws of
health, as regards the bringing up of children, are not alike observed by the rich and the
poor
During the year, 145 persons died of old age, of whom, 72 were above 80, and of
these, one had arrived at the advanced age of 99; and another, at the still more advanced
age of 102 It must not, however, be inferred from a few instances of longevity, that a
district is healthy, but it is to the smallness of the mortality among young children that
the healthiness of any particular district must be inferred; for children of tender years are
more susceptible to the influences of impure air than are adults It would also be found,
if records had been kept of the number of still-born children, and of premature births, that
in those districts where sanitary regulations were the least observed, there would be the
greatest proportionate number of such cases
There are 63 deaths uncertified by a medical practitioner The number of inquests
that have been held during the year is 237 This is an increase of 17 upon the number
held during the preceding year The deaths in the workhouse are 287, or 12-3 per cent
of the total deaths; those in the London Hospital are 366, or 15-7 per cent of the total
mortality in the district
The deaths from diseases of the respiratory organs are 460, or 19 per cent The
tubercular class of diseases, including consumption, which alone numbers 248 deaths,
exhibits a mortality of 391, or 16-7 per cent Violence and accidents of various kinds
proved fatal to 214, or 9-1 percent; of these,42 were the result of burns and scalds The
cases of illness attended by the medical officers of the union, exclusive of those in the
workhouse, were 13,724 Of these, 3,489 occurred during the quarter recently terminated
In the workhouse the number of cases of sickness was 2,191; and of these, 527 occurred
during the last quarter; the total number of cases therefore that have come under the care
of the medical officers of the union during the year was 15,915 During the preceding
year the total cases of sickness attended by the medical officers of the union were
13,069, viz: 11,392 among the out-door poor, and 1,677 in the workhouse
The births during the last quarter of the year 1861, have been 665, viz: 329 males
and 336 females This is in the proportion of 102 females to 100 males The number of
females to males being greater is very unusual, for the normal proportion of births of
males and females is as 106 of the former, to 100 of the latter The total number of
deaths registered in this district during the same period was 556, of which 321 were
deaths of males, and 265 those of females, including the deaths of 42 non-residents In
the corresponding quarter of the previous year, the registered births were 696, and the
deaths 530 The number of births therefore is less by 31, and the number of deaths
greater by 26
The deaths from epidemic diseases are 100; of these, 34 are recorded as having been
caused by scarlet fever, and 27 by fever; while in the corresponding quarter of the previous
year the total number of deaths from epidemic diseases was 81, of which number,
24 were caused by scarlet fever, and 11 by fever
The deaths from small-pox have likewise increased (8 against 5) Dr Munk, the
Physician to the Small-pox Hospital has kindly forwarded to me a return of the cases
admitted into that institution during the last three months; from which it appears that,
out of the 49 cases admitted, 13, or rather more than a fourth of the total number were
from this district; and recently, three more cases from this district have been sent to the
Small-Pox Hospital Notwithstanding all the efforts of the legislature, and the zeal of