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there was an excess of births over deaths of no less than 305 during the
Quarter. The largest number of deaths registered in any one week was
44, and the lowest 20; the week during which the smaller mortality was
registered having been the first of the Quarter, and the largest the last
week but one, when the temperature had become very much higher.
The mortality from epidemic (zymotic diseases) was only one-seventh
part of the total number of deaths, which is a remarkably small proportion.
There was not any death from small-pox; 6 from measles;
only 7 from scarlet fever; 9 from whooping cough; and only 8 from all
kinds of continued fever, including typhus. This is a most satisfactory
proof of the benefit derived from sanitary measures, for it must be
remembered that the diminished number of deaths also indicates a much
larger decrease in sickness, misery, and pain. The victims of typhus are
generally in the prime of life, and belong to the working classes, so that a
diminished rate of death from fever, also signifies a less claim on the poor
rates. There were 21 deaths from diseases having an uncertain seat, such
as dropsy, hæmorrhage, &c.; no less than 74 from tubercular affections,
including consumption; 51 from diseases of the nervous system, of which
as many as 18 were registered from "convulsion;" there were also
22 from heart affections; 61 from diseases of the lungs; 26 from
abdominal maladies; 17 from premature birth and debility; and 28 from
old age. The deaths from violence were fewer than usual, especially
from suffocation.
Of the 391 deaths 75 occurred of children under 1 year of age, 99 of
persons between 1 and 20 years of age, 47 of persons above 20 but below
40 years old, 69 of those who were more than 40 but less than 60 years of
age, no less than 84 of those who were 60 years old but not 80, and
17 who were more than 80 years of age. The majority of those above
80 were, as usual, females—one-fourth only being males and three-fourths
females. A comparative large proportion of aged persons died in charitable
institutions. There were 39 deaths in the East London Union and
German Hospital; so that there were only 359 deaths which may be
considered as belonging to the District.