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14
DIARRHOEA.
(Decennial average, 123.2).
This disease caused 87 deaths, 73 of which were amongst young
children—no less than 62 of whom were infants.
DIETETIC DISEASES.
ALCOHOLISM.
Five deaths were returned as either due to, or accelerated by, drink.
Four were the subject of enquiry by the Coroner, and one was a case
of Delirium Tremens.
The deaths of nine children were attributed to want of breast milk ;
but I have no hesitation in saying that this represents only a very
small proportion of the true number, as many of the infantile deaths
from Diarrhoea and Convulsions were undoubtedly due to intestinal
irritation, caused by the inability of the tender nurslings to digest the
artificial substitutes for mother's milk.
In one instance want of proper nourishment was returned by the
Coroner as the cause of death.
CONSTITUTIONAL DISEASES.
The deaths registered under this head numbered 533. Cancer caused
51 deaths. the principal organs affected were—Uterus, eleven; Stomach
and Intestines, eight; Liver, five; Rectum, seven; and Mouth, four. Six
cases were certified simply as " Cancer," or " malignant disease."
TUBERCULAR DISEASES.
( Vide Table IV.)
The principal tubercular diseases—a group which includes Phthisis,
Scrofula, Tuberculosis, Rickets, and Tabes Mesenterica—are credited with
causing 424 deaths; of these 330, more than three-fourths of the total
number, were due to that scourge of youth, Pulmonary Consumption.
This number, however, for reasons previously mentioned, includes the
deaths of a number of non-parishioners in the Victoria Park Hospital.
In my next report I shall be able to exclude these.