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births, 656 in number, 242 were registered in Hackney; 217 in West
Hackney; 32 in Stamford Hill; 114 in South Hackney; and 51 in
Stoke Newington Sub-district.
Of these 395 deaths, 74 were registered as having been caused by
zymotic diseases, and 65 by tubercular diseases; 46 from affections of
the brain and spinal cord; 14 from heart disease; 80 from affections of
the lungs (excluding consumption, from which there were 38 deaths);
25 from maladies of the digestive organs; 27 from old age; and no less
than 12 from violent deaths, besides 5 which were registered as "sudden."
Of the 74 deaths caused by zymotic diseases 1 was from smallpox; 4
from measles; 19 from scarlet fever; 10 from hooping cough; 9 from
diarrhoea; and 21 from the various kinds of fever.
The ages at death were as follows:—79 were under 1 year old; 91
were above 1 and under 20 years of age; 51 were above 20 and under
40; 58 above 40 and under 60; 91 who were older than 60 but younger
than 80; and 25 who were more than 80 years of age. The mortality
of young persons has very much diminished this quarter, as compared with
that for the last, whilst the increase amongst old persons has been considerable.
The meteorology of the quarter has been very unusual, only 1 week
having been below the average temperature; the greatest departure from
the ordinary mean occurred in the weeks ending November 7th and
December 26th, when the excess was no less than 7.9° and 9.6° respectively.
October was warmer than any year since 1771, except in
the years 1795, 1807, 1811, 1818, and 1831. November also had a
higher temperature, with 9 exceptions, than any year since 1771; and the
mean for December was higher (except those of 1806 and 1852) than any
other during the last 86 years.
The influence of the high temperature of December was very marked,
the mortality being small in proportion to the elevation of the thermometer
readings. Thus in the week ending December 5th when the mean temperature
was 4.5°, the number of deaths were 1428; whilst in that
ending December 26th, when it was 9.6°, the mortality was only 1013,
being a reduction of no less than 400 deaths.
The mean of the barometer readings was 30.032; the mean of all the
highest thermometer observations was 58.2°, of all the lowest 39.0°;
and the mean of all the ranges was 19.2°. The highest temperature
registered was 69.2°, and the lowest 31.6°: shewing the extreme range
for the quarter to have heen 37.6°. The average temperature for the
quarter was 48.8°, of the dew point temperature 44.9°, and the mean
dryness of the air was 87, saturation being 100; and the average weight
of a cubic foot of air 546.9 grains. The total rain-fall was 6.71 inches,
of which 3.05 inches occurred in one week, being the largest rain-fall
since 1824.
Your obedient Servant,
J. W. TRIPE,
Medical Officer of Health.
February 24th, 1858.