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29
Old Age was the registered cause of 144 deaths.
In numerous instances, however, decay of nature is
stated by the certifying medical man to have contributed
to the death. I have, however, only classed
those as old age when no other cause was stated;
a large proportion of these deaths occurred in the
Workhouse Infirmary.
Atrophy and Debility caused 178 deaths, all except
16 amongst young children. Adding to these the
other wasting diseases of young children previously
spoken of, namely, Want of Breast Milk 11, and
Premature Birth 48, we get a total of 221 deaths,
being 18 per cent, of the total deaths of young
children, a mortality of 13.1 per thousand on the
estimated population of children under five years of age.
Class V.— VIOLENT DEATHS.
These numbered 90; and, with the exception of
two cases of fractured ribs and Bronchitis, all were
returned by the Coroner.
Suffocation caused 50 deaths, all, except 9, amongst
young children, 23 of whom were infants aged less
than three months. It is sad to reflect that these lives
were probably wasted through the carelessness of the
parents.
Fractures and Contusions caused 18 deaths; one of
these was returned as "Congestion of the Lungs,
knocked down by one bicycle and run over by
another." Wounds and drowning caused each six
deaths ; poison, four; and burns and scalds, two.