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The total deaths from Zymotic Diseases have been 79, viz. : 63 from Epidemic
Diseases, 8 from Croup, 2 from Dysentery, 2 from Puerperal Fever, 1 from Erysipelas,
1 from Rheumatic Fever, 1 from Pyæmia, and 1 from Cholera. From the weekly
returns of the Registrar General, it appears that 4 deaths from Cholera have occurred
in London during the quarter, viz.: 1 at Greenwich, 1 in Mile End New Town, 1 in
Westminster, and 1 in Hackney. It may be observed that the deaths from Diarrhœa,
as compared with those in the corresponding quarter of last year, have increased from
2 to 8.
The deaths from diseases of the respiratory organs have been 152, which is 24.1
per cent. of the total mortality. Bronchitis was fatal to 81 persons, Pneumonia to 48,
and Asthma and other diseases of the lungs to 23. The deaths from Consumption were
73, and from Heart Disease 28. The great number of deaths from the above causes
may perhaps be accounted for by the excessive cold which prevailed in January and
February. The mean temperature of the air, as registered during the nights in the
quarter was 30.3°, which is about 3° less than in the corresponding quarter of 1S66. The
lowest temperature occurred during the night of Friday, the 4th January, when the
thermometer registered 5.2° or 26.8° below the freezing point. During the two preceding
nights it was also extremely cold, the thermometer on the 2nd indicating 6.4°,
and on the 3rd 6.0°.
The rain-fall in the Metropolis during the quarter has been 6.29 inches. During
the corresponding quarter of the previous year, the rain-fall was 8.05 inches. The rainfall
during the year ending 31st December, 1866, was 30.1 inches, and for the year 1865,
it was 29.0 inches.
The mortality of children under 5 years of age, has been 226. This is 35.9 per
cent. of the total mortality. The deaths of persons above 80 years of age, have been
22. Of these, one occurred at the age of 87, and another at the advanced age of
90 years. The uncertified deaths are 4.
The number of inquests has been 67, of which 35 were held on the bodies of
persons who died in the London Hospital. Among the records of the Coroner's Court,
are 10 deaths caused by burns and scalds, 6 of children who were suffocated in bed, 22
deaths from violence (of these, 2 were the result of injuries caused by vehicles in the
public streets), 1 (of a child aged 4 years) from Hydrophobia, caused by the bite of a
dog, 1 of a woman aged 29 years, from suffocation whilst drunk, and 1 of a person aged
68, who died from syncope from over-eating. In the corresponding quarter of the year
1866, the number of inquests was 93.
The deaths in the Workhouse have been 101 : of these, 2 were caused by Smallpox,
1 by Hooping-cough, 2 by Diarrhcea, and 1 by Fever.
The Medical Officers of the Union have attended 4,902 new cases of disease,
including 77 of Small-pox, 9 of Measles, 24 of Scarlet-fever, 109 of Hooping-cough,
160 of Diarrhcea, and 54 of Fever. In the corresponding quarter of last year, the total
number of new cases attended by the Medical Officers of the Union was 4,174, including
81 of Small-pox, 31 of Measles, 46 of Scarlet-fever, 87 of Hooping-cough, 128 of
Diarrhcea, and 102 of Fever. An increase of 32 has taken place in the number of
cases of Diarrhcea, while there has been a diminution of 48 in those of Fever, and of 4
in those of Small-pox, as compared with the returns of the corresponding quarter
of 1866.