View report page

90
24 deaths were attributed to childbirth. In the preceding
year there were 43.
Inflammatory affections of the lungs caused 819 deaths;
382 in children under five, 437 in persons above five. Of
these, 356 occurred in the first quarter of the year, 154 in the
second, 85 in the third, and 221 in the last. Such diseases
are always most fatal in the colder weather. And it will be
observed that the deaths attributed to them were much more
numerous in the first and fourth quarters than in the other
two.
On the other hand diarrhoea is much more fatal, especially
among young children, in the third quarter of the year than
at any other time. 215 deaths were ascribed to this affection,
of which 196 were in children under five years of age, and 19
in persons above five. Of these 6 occurred in the first
quarter of the year, 13 in the second, 168 in the third, and
28 in the last. Diarrhœa was much more fatal in 1886 than
in 1885, when the deaths from this cause amounted only to
135, or just 80 less. This cxcess of diarrhœal deaths, which
was general throughout the country, was due to the excessive
heat which prevailed daring July and August.
The so-called zymotic diseases, Hooping Cough, Measles,
Diphtheria, Scarlet Fever, Fever, and Small Pox, have on the
whole been little fatal during the year.
Hooping Cough was the most prevalent and most fatal,
and caused 156 deaths, 20 more than in the year 1885, but
15 less than in the year 1884. 44 of the deaths occurrcd in
Camberwell, 65 in Peckham, and 47 in St. George's. Measles,
the next most fatal of these diseases, accounted for 97 deaths,