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9
This Table shows that the largest mortality from these diseases
occurred in the quarter ending October 2nd; and the next, in that
ending January 1st, 1859: that no death was registered from
small pox, whilst no less than 76 deaths happened from scarlet
fever, 27 from diptheria, 64 from hooping-cough, 50 from diarrhœa,
and 51 from fever. These latter diseases have been gradually
declining each year, and I do not doubt but that when the drainage
works are completed, they will be materially diminished.
The following Table shows the number of deaths from the
above-named diseases, corrected for increase of population :—

The mortality assigned to scarlet fever in this Table is too
small as compared with other years, for 27 deaths were registered
from diptheria in 1858, whilst two only were registered in 1857.
There can be no doubt that several deaths from scarlet fever have
been returned under the name of diptheria, for there is great difficulty
at times in deciding to which disease a particular case should
be assigned.
The following Table shews that the fourth quarter of the year
was the most fatal, 475 deaths having been registered against 452
in the first or winter quarter. This is an exception to the rule;
for, in the years 1853—7, the mortality was about 27 per cent, in
the first quarter against 25 per cent. in the fourth. As beforementioned,
the extremely cold weather in November produced so
large a death rate as to disturb the rate of mortality for the whole
year: the same cause also produced an increased number of deaths
in young children, 24.4 per cent. of the whole mortality in 1858
having occurred in children under one year old, whilst only 22.4
per cent. happened at the same age in 1857. The greatest number
of deaths in young children frequently occurs in the third quarter.