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The deaths from diseases of the respiratory organs, exclusive of those
of consumption, have been 92. Consumption and the other diseases of
the tubercular class were fatal to 106, which is nearly 18 per cent. of
the total deaths. Convulsions proved fatal to 16 children under 5 years
of age.
Every three months I have to record the fact, that several children, only
a few months old, are said to have been accidentally suffocated in bed. The
repeated warnings given at the inquests held upon these cases appear to have
little effect in diminishing their number. During the last three months 4
deaths from this cause are recorded.
The number of inquests has been 78, against 71 for the corresponding
quarter of the previous year. It appears from the record of these legal inquiries
that 6 persons died from injuries caused by vehicles running over them. In
the whole of London 50 of such deaths occurred. The deaths show but a small
proportion of those persons who are injured by the recklessness of many of the
drivers. The attention of the police is especially required to check the furious
and careless driving in London, whereby so many persons are daily injured.
The death of a man aged 35 occurred in the London Hospital from the effects
of drinking spirits of wine. A man aged 50 died from eating unwholesome
mackerel. A child 13 months old died from obstruction of the bowels
caused by accidentally swallowing a bone-button. Five deaths occurred from &
drowning. A lad 17 years of age died in the London Hospital from pyaemia,
the result of yellow fever acquired at Berbice. A child aged 1 year died from
injury to the head, but there is no record of an inquest having been held in this
case. Two deaths occurred from choleraic diarrhoea.
The number of deaths uncertified by a Medical Practitioner is 3. These
deaths are said to have been caused by convulsions. For the protection of the
public against the crime of murder, some official inquiry should be instituted
in every case where a medical certificate stating the cause of death has not
been obtained.
The deaths in the Workhouse have been 79, against 118 in the corresponding
quarter of the previous year. Of the 79 deaths 13 were caused by fever.
In one instance the disease appears to have originated in the Workhouse;
while all the other deaths were of persons brought from the under-mentioned
localities,—1 from Windmill Court, 1 from Sharp.s Buildings, 1 from Osborn
Place, 1 from Plough Street, 1 from High Street (Mile End New Town),
1 from Well.s Place, 1 from Queen Street (Aldgate), 2 from George Street,
and 3 from Flower and Dean Street.
The mortality in the Workhouse under 5 years has been 16, which is 20
per cent. of the total deaths. The mortality under 1 year has been 11, or about
one-seventh of the deaths. About 30 per cent. of the total mortality in the
district occuired in the Workhouse and in the London Hospital.
The Medical Officers of the Union have attended 3,676 new cases of
disease, including 8 of small-pox, 18 of measles, 18 of scarlet fever, 56 of