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34
Report of the Health of the Parish of St. Martin-in-theFields
for the Quarter ending December 27, 1862.
In the quarter ending Saturday, December 27,
there were 139 deaths; in the corresponding quarter
of 1861 there were 123. 33 of the deaths were caused
by the epidemic or zymotic class of diseases, 4 being
cases of measles, 16 scarlet and typhus fever, 2 diarrhoea.
13 deaths from consumption and only 3 from other
diseases of the organs of respiration, 8 from diseases
of the brain, 4 from diseases of the heart, 11 from
those of the digestive organs, 4 from kidney disease,
7 from old age, 2 being over 80 years. Of the 139
deaths 43 were under 5 years, 35 over 60, and 60 at
the intermediate ages. Of these deaths at the active
period of life consumption stands pre-eminent, having
numbered 12; other diseases of the lungs there were
9 deaths, and 10 from diseases of the stomach, liver,
and kidney, most of which, I fear, at these ages were
caused by intemperance; 9 deaths in the quarter
were from accidents.
I have continued my examinations of the gas
supplied by the Equitable Company with the photometer
in the room below, and twice at the Company's
testing-house, in Cambridge-street, Pimlico. In the
month of October the average light from an Argand
burner was equal to 12.5 candles; from a batswing,
burning 4 cubic feet per hour, 8.5 candles. In the
month of November, from an Argand burner the light
was 11.3, and from a batswing burner 7.5. In the
month of December an Argand burner gave an equivalent
light of 12-75, a batswing 8.5.
I have tested the water supplied from the pump in
Long-acre, and find it contains 80 grains in a gallon
of solid matter, of which 10 grains are organic. From
that of the pump in Duncannon-street 56 grains in a
on, of which 8 grains are organic. The pump in
ovent-garden gives a total of 60 grains of extraneous
substances, of which 6 grains are organic matter.