View report page

20 Parish of St. George the Martyr, Southwark.
Cancer.—Malignant cancerous diseases caused 19 deaths amongst parishione
The disease is apparently on the increase in the country generally, being more mark
among males than among females. The rise, however, is probably due to better diaguos
Alcoholic Excess.—The deaths attributed directly to chronic alcoholism a
to delirium tremens amounted to 14, as against 483 for London—that is, just doul
the number of St. George's, Southwark, proportion, according to its population,
compared with the whole of London. These numbers, however, are a very unsat
factory measure of such excess, not only because these deaths form a very ins
nificant proportion of the total mortality due to drink, but because the wish
spare the feelings of surviving relatives prevents the Returns of such deaths being
all trustworthy.
A nearer approach to truth as regards Alcoholism and certain other diseas
could, I think, be arrived at were it made obligatory, in the future, for medi.
practitioners to forward all death certificates, in confidence, direct to the Registra
instead of handing them to relatives, which is at present the usual procedure.
A better measure, under existing regulations, to the faulty Returns ascribed
Alcoholism, is the mortality from diseases of those organs which are known to
seriously affected by alcoholic excess, and which can be stated in certificates of dot
to have been diseased without fear of offence. The organ most injuriously affect
by excess in alcohol is the liver, the mortality from hepatic diseases being six tin
as high among innkeepers and publicans as among the generality of males; 13 deal
are referred to cirrhosis of the liver, during 1892, as having occurred in St. Geor
Southwark. This affection, when due to alcoholic excess, being also known
"hob-nail" or "gin-drinkers' liver."
The uncontrolled indulgence in intoxicating liquors, particularly when of
quality, and especially by those following occupations of a sedentary nature,
which strong exercise is unnecessary, coupled with the want of a plentiful supply
fresh, palatable, wholesome water, materially helps to fill our prisons and wo
houses, our asylums and hospitals, our cemeteries, and our National Exchequer 1
Mortality of Infants and Children.
The number of infants dying before the completion of the first year of life v
405, which gives the high rate of 188 deaths to every 1,000 births in St. Geor
Southwark, as compared with 155 deaths to 1,000 births for London. Of a total
1,509 deaths at all ages in St. George, Southwark, 669 occurred in those um
5 years, which gives the large percentage of 44.3 to the total number of deaths,
compared with the percentage of 39.9 for London.
The following are the most prominent Diseases causing the Infant Mortality:—
Deaths, 1892.
Diarrhoea
23
Tabes Mesenterica
22
Tubercular Meningitis, Hydrocephalus
20
Other Tubercular and Scrofulous Diseases
16
Premature Birth
24
Convulsions
35
Bronchitis
45
Pneumonia
32
Dentition
21
Whooping Cough
11
Suffocation in bed
11
Debility, Atrophy, and Inanition
42
Other causes not specified or ill-defined
34
Total
336