View report page

29
Quarterly Report, from July to September, 1860.
The summer quarter ending September 29 has been
iniformly healthy, indeed so great an immunity from
lisease was 1 believe never known. The total number
of deaths in the Parish was only 94, against 140 in
1859, and 146 in the corresponding quarter of 1858.
The deaths from zymotic or epidemic diseases
amounted to 12, 3 being cases of measles and 1 scarlatina,
3 whooping cough, and only 3 from diarrhoea, while
last year the deaths from this cause were 25. There
has been only one death in the three months from fever;
this is especially the disease which would be affected
by sanitary measures, it may be premature to take
entire credit for the improved health to these measures,
but it is an unquestionable fact that deaths from fever,
and other zymotic diseases have diminished, and I think
we may attribute this to the attention paid to the laws
of health. I am far from believing that the extraordinary
health of the present summer has resulted entirely
from improved cleanliness, ventilation, and removal of
nuisances; it has been too remarkable and exceptionable
to be put down to this cause alone; for although
sanitary means have done something, they have not
done all. We must refer the exemption from the
diseases of summer to the small amount of heat, to the
great prevalence of windy and stormy weather, w hich
purities the air of the closest places, and to the great
fall of rain, which has diluted our river and rapidly
carried away the sewage.
In all Statistics there is a tendency to balance
results, so that if diminished numbers on any subject
occur at one time, this is equalized at another, so
possibly we may before Christmas balance our account
of deaths and diseases, and we must not be surprised
to find by the end of the year that our average number
of deaths shall approach that of former years.