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30
These tables are of interest as shewing the
varying degrees in which death attacks persons at
different ages of life. Thus we find that whilst in
1872 only 149 children under one year died, that
in 1873 163 died, making a difference of 14. In
children under five years of age the increase in the
death of children is still more appalling. In
1872 the death of children above one and under
five was 86, whilst in 1873 it was 110, making a
difference of 36.
I drew your attention last year to the large death
rate of children in your Parish, and shewed that
the death rate of children under five years of age
was greater than nearly every other town in the
Kingdom. I also drew your attention to the fact
that this mortality was due to the overcrowding of
the Berwick Street district. The returns of the
last year shew that the death rate of children have
very much increased. I am endeavouring to trace
the cause of this mortality to its source by procuring
special returns of the deaths of all children dying
under one year of age. I do not expect to arrive
at any other conclusion than that want of fresh air
is the cause of the mortality.
So great is the evil of this mortality that the
College of Physicians have memorialised the
Government to induce it to take some steps to
prevent the awful destruction of life that is now
going on through the dirt and filth which is the
result of overcrowding. As I have before said I