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8
summer months is true, and that many causes contribute to produce
the fatal result I admit, but if any value can be placed upon figures,
it seems clear that improper dieting has much to answer for in connection
with this particular disease. Dr. Klein has been appointed
by the Local Government Board to investigate the pathological
conditions in death from infantile diarrhoea, and I made arrangements
with my medical friends to afford the Doctor any opportunity for
study which arose, but we were unable to obtain during the summer
permission for such investigation in any case. Thatthis is a matter of
great importance will be apparent from the fact that the deaths
occurred within three months, and represented over 3 per cent. of
the total deaths. The Metropolitan deaths from the same disease
were 2,334, or only a fraction under 3 per cent. of the total deaths.
Constitutional diseases were the cause of death in 21.8 per cent. of
the total deaths, the chief diseases in this class being phthisis, and
tubercular diseases generally.
To the nervous class of diseases, 12.7 of the total deaths belonged,
and in this table I have included the 23 deaths of residents occuring
in the extra-Metropolitan Asylums. As usual respiratory diseases
increase our mortality returns, pneumonia and bronchitis claiming
the greatest number of victims in this class.
Infant mortality returns again constitute an important item in
general mortality statistics. I have, of course, included the deaths
from infantile diarrhcea. In London the deaths of infants under the
age of one year equalled 24.3 per cent. of the total deaths, and 14.7
per cent. of the registered births ; whilst in the Whitechapel District
those infants who died under the age of one year equalled 26.3 per
cent. of the total deaths, and 16.1 per cent. of the registered births.
The deaths of children under 5 years of age, including the above,
were for London equal to 40.9 per cent. of the total deaths, and 24.8
per cent. of the registered births; and for the Whitechapel District
they were equal to 42.6 per cent. of the total deaths, and 26.1 per
cent. of the registered births.
In accepting this comparative Table I should point out that my
figures for our District are based upon an accurate return of births
and deaths, whereas no such accuracy being guaranteed in the
Metropolitan returns, the Whitechapel District may, and probably
does, suffer by this comparison.
Violent Deaths. Fifty-eight deaths from violence occurred
during the year, ot which 38 were of males, and 20 of females. They