View report page

21
CHOLERA.
Cholera is credited with seven deaths ; but I have no reason for
supposing that these cases were of the Asiatic type, they were
probably what would be more correctly described as Choleraic
Diarrhoea.
OTHER ZYMOTIC DISEASES.
Only two deaths were registered as from Childbed Fever. Erysipelas
causd 13 deaths, Carbuncle 4, and Croup the very large number of
31, all except one being amongst children under the age of five
years. To Rheumatism only three deaths are credited, those from
the heart affection so commonly following Rheumatic Fever have
been classed as heart disease.
Enthetic Diseases.—Syphilis was the cause of twelve deaths,
and as all occurred under the age of two years, the disease was, in
all probability, transmitted from the parents.
Dietic Diseases.—Privation caused three deaths, Want of Breastmilky
five. To Alcoholism only seven are credited (five of which were
Delirium tremens), but this small number does not represent anything
like the true proportion, as many cases of kidney, liver, and brain
disease, are undoubtedly remotely due to the abuse of alcohol, and
though this fact may not appear in the medical certificate, it is
undoubtedly too true. Within the last few years a steady
reactionary wave has set in against even the moderate use of
alcohol. Like all other reactions this is probably excessive,
and will, in process of time, find its own level. We may, however,
safely conclude that alcohol is not a necessity for a healthy
existence, it is either a luxury or a medicine, and is on the
whole infinitely more potent for evil than for good, and though
occasionally a valuable and almost indispensable servant, it is a
dangerous friend and a deadly master.
CONSTITUTIONAL DISEASE.
The two orders, Diathetic and Tubercular, included under
this head, are accountable for 576 deaths.
Order I.—Diathetic causing 63 deaths, all, except four, amongst
persons over the age of fifteen years. The four infantile deaths from
Mortification call for some special remark : two were cases of sloughing
of the abdominal walls, commencing at the umbilicus, and occurred