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parents were told that the disease " was not catching," the mother put
him into her own bed during the day, whilst she aired and made tha
child.s. She did the same a day or two afterwards with her daughter.s
bed. Before a week had expired the father presented symptoms of it ;
next, a day or two afterwards, the daughter, aged 20, and both died.
In the Middleton Road, four out of six inmates took the disease from
the father, and three died. I might add other cases, but these will
suffice to make persons careful how they expose themselves unnecessarily
to infection.
There have also been an increased number of deaths from Diptheria in
this district, the disease having been, in some cases, extremely fatal ;
three children in one family having died from it. This disease I believe
to be slightly contagious, but not to a greater extent than Typhoid Fever.
It is not a new disease, but has prevailed more extensively of late
years than previously, and appears to arise in part from local
causes, as the worst cases usually take place in localities near which there
are accumulations of decomposing animal and vegetable matter. The
worst cases in this district happened near the Brook, which will, I trust,
speedily be filled in. I should advise any family in which the disease
shows itself, to remove for a time into some other neighbourhood, as it is
in its worst form very intractable to curative means.
On comparing the mortality during this quarter with the corresponding
one for last year we find that the total number of deaths have been 355
against 362, so that the general health of the inhabitants of this District
has been better than usual. The total number of births have been 607
against 613 during the corresponding quarter last year.
It is very remarkable that in both these respects the District returns
agree with those for all London. Why there should not only have less
deaths in London, but also less births I cannot conceive, (we find a
similar coincidence to have happened in 1853,) unless it be in consequence
of the marriages having fallen off during the latter half of 1857. This
however was not the case as regards 1852.
The excess of births over deaths was 254, or 2 more than in the corresponding
quarter of 1857. The total excess of births over deaths
during the three quarters of the present year has been no less than 692,
so that the increase of population would be about 1} per cent, after
allowing for that produced by the excess of immigration over emigration;
which, during the 10 years 1841—51 was about 3 per cent annually.
Of the 607 births, 220 were registered in Hackney sub.district; 209
in West Hackney; 28 only in Stamford Hill; 42 in Stoke Newington;
and 108 in South Hackney Sub.Districts.
Of the total deaths 157 were registered in Hackney; 102 in West
Hackney; 21 in Stamford Hill; 17 only in Stoke Newington; and 56
in South Hackney Sub.Districts.
The ages at death in periods of 20 years were as follows, 185 deaths
happened in young persons under 20 years of age, and of these 106
occurred in children under 1 year old; Of the remainder, 52 took place,
in persons more than 20 but below 40; 39 in persons aged more than 40