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16
This table shews that, out of the total 2594 deaths, 443 or
17.1 per cent, belong to the epidemic class, which includes smallpox,
scarlet fever, diphtheria, measles, whooping cough, fever,
diarrhoea, erysipelas, and some others. Although there was a much
larger proportion of deaths from diarrhoea than usual, yet the
percentage was much below the average of the preceding 17 years.
There were 392 deaths from tubercular diseases, or at the rate of
15.1 deaths per cent, against an average of 16.9, which, with the
diminution in the former class, indicate an improved sanitary
condition of the district, as well as the absence of any special
epidemic. Diseases of the nervous system was fatal in 330 cases,
or at the rate of 12.3 per cent, against the mean of 12.0 per
cent.; of the circulatory organs 175, or 5.8 per cent., which was
above the average. Affections of the respiratory organs were, on
the other hand, unusually fatal, as no less than 495, or 19.1 per
cent, of the total deaths were registered from these causes. The
average is 16.0 per cent., and the chief mortality occurred in
young children under 1 year and in old persons above 65 years
of age, arising from the changeable and cold weather in February
and the early winter months. The number of deaths from
premature birth, debility, and atrophy was 180, which is considerably
in excess of former years, and assisted in swelling the
large number of deaths under 1 year. The deaths from old age
were less than usual, viz. 160, or 6.2, against the mean of 6.8
per cent. There were also 85 deaths from violence, which was a
little below the average; and 162 inquests were held, which was
more than usual. There were 20 deaths from suffocation,
18 of which were infants in bed; 20 from drowning, chiefly in
the river Lea; 8 from burns and scalds; and 23 from fractures
and contusions, which includes several persons who were run over
in the streets or on the railways.