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It is probable that the influence of the weather may, to some extent,
account for the increase of mortality. By the Registrar-General's returns, it
appears that during the spring months of the last three years, the variations
in the temperature of the air have been very considerable. The days and
nights in April have been warm, while the nights in May and the days in
June have been generally cold. The lowest night-temperature during the
quarter occurred in the week ending June 4th, 1864, when it was 33.4°, and
and the highest day-temperature was in the week ending May 21st, when the
thermometer stood at 81°.
The mortality of children under 5 years of age has been 282, which is
44.6 per cent, of the total deaths. During the corresponding quarter of the
previous year the proportion was 43.5 per cent. In the Whitechapel North
Sub-District, where 18 fatal cases of Measles occurred, the proportion of
deaths of children under 5 years to the total [mortality of that Sub-District,
has been as high as 75.2 per cent.
The deaths from diseases of the respiratory organs, exclusive of Consumption,
have been 102. Consumption and the other diseases of the
tubercular class, were fatal to 118, of which 54 were under 5 years of age.
Twenty children under 5 years old died from Convulsions, 14 from Atrophy
and Debility, 9 from Teething, and 5 from Premature birth. Eight children
under 1 year were suffocated in bed.
The number of inquests has been 71 against 69 for the corresponding
quarter of the previous year. An inquest was held on the body of a child
whose death is thus recorded “ Exhaustion from Absence of Breast Milk.”
Two inquests were held on the bodies of children who died from Convulsions,
the disease in one case was said to have been occasioned by Dentition, and in the
other, death was said to have occurred from Convulsions during the night. In
the records of the 71 inquests, it is stated that a child 5 years of age died from
violent inflammation of the brain from a pea lodging in the ear, and also that
a Ginger-beer Manufacturer died from “ Suffocation by getting a soda-water
bottle stuck in his throat unintentionally.” _ The death of a female servant
aged 30 years, was caused by Elephantiasis, succeeded by Erysipelas. The
death of a young man aged 27 years was caused by ulceration of the larynx.
The number of deaths uncertified by a Medical Practitioner has been
4; they are all recorded as having been caused by Convulsions. It may he
asked why inquests were not held in all these cases; as it appears from the
records that an inquest in two instances was held oil children who had died
from convulsions. Convulsions may be the result of poison, of suffocation,
and of many other causes. Unless, therefore, an inquiry is instituted by the
Coroner, or by a properly qualified Medical Practitioner into all cases of
death not properly certified, the public is not sufficiently protected against
murder.