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There have been 171 inquests held during the year, of which
30 were returned as sudden deaths, 20 as the result of accidents,
26 from disease of the heart, 3 from brain disease, 2 from delirium
tremens, 7 from burns or scalds, 2 from being run over, 1 from
hanging, 3 from poison, 1 from a pistol shot, 17 from drowning.
Amongst the sudden deaths were included, 3 from exposure to
cold, one on March 11th, one on December 25th, and the other
on December 26th. Three died from being struck with lightning,
one on the 23rd May, and 2 during the great storm of July lltli.
This terrific storm affected the whole district, but its greatest
violence was expended on Hackney Wick, Homerton, Dalston,
and De Beauvoir Town. There was another death recorded from
swallowing lucifer matches, and a very unusual one in a child
aged 8 years, from swallowing port wine.
I have attended 33 meetings of the Sanitary Committee,
which is above the avei'age; 14 of the View Committee; and 4
of other Committees; making a total of 41 Committee Meetings
during the year. Many important matters were discussed at
these meetings, amongst which I may mention the Slaughterhouse
Act, and the Regulations for keeping the slaughterhouses
in proper order, and also the premises in which other offensive
trades are carried on; the Removal of Dust; the obtaining
Returns of Births and Deaths from the District Registrars; the
bad Sanitary condition of the River Lea; the precautions to bo
taken against the spread of Scarlet Fever, and other matters.
The regulations for the removal of dust from the houses of
the inhabitants received a very large amount of attention, as the
contract price per load has been increasing for the last two years,
and the cost is becoming very serious. In 1873-74 there were
above 16,000 loads removed at 2/11 per load, or a cost of £2344
9s., to which there were added £371 19s. for the Dust Inspector's
salary and payment to the men employed by the Board to assist
the Contractor, making a total of £2716 18s. For this year the