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8
Zymotic diseases were less prevalent than in 1858 and 1859, but
more so than in 1860. This might have been calculated on, as
1860 was a cold and 1861 a warm year; for, as a rule, the mortality
from diarrhoea—the chief cause of death in summer and autumn
in this group of diseases—is in an almost invariable ratio with the
temperature of these seasons. In 1859 the temperature was nearly
4° above that of 1860, and the mortality from zymotic diseases
was only 16.8 per cent. in 1860; whilst it was no less than 23.0
per cent. in 1859. Tubercular diseases have been decidedly on
the increase, not only relatively but absolutely, whilst brain
diseases have been less this year than for the preceding three
years. Affections of the lungs caused a greater mortality than in
1858 and 1859, but less than in 1860. The mortality from
diseases of the heart was also unusually large in 1861, as no less
than 101 deaths, or 6.5 per cent. of the whole were registered in
this year against 6.3 per cent. in 1860, 3.8 per cent. in 1859, and
4.5 per cent. in 1858. The other groups of diseases do not require
any special consideration.
As the group of zymotic diseases includes several most important
maladies, I now lay before you the mortality during the year from
small-pox and other eruptive fevers.:—

The immunity from small-pox which this district has fortunately
enjoyed, has arisen, in great measure, from the extent to which