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7 were eases of poisoning, and 11 of drowning. 67 infants perished
within a short period of birth, their vitality being enfeebled either from
being born prematurely, or from possessing malformation. Other causes
of death call for no special remark. Several could not admit of fair
comparison with other districts for this reason. Persons afflicted with
some accidents or diseases apply to the hospitals in other parts of the
metropolis. Their deaths arc thus registered elsewhere; and a reading
of the mortality-tables of different districts might lead to the erroneous
Conclusion that Ovarian Dropsy, Bright's-disease, and other fatal affections
are of very rare occurrence in Shoreditch, and very prevalent in other
parishes. It is proper however to observe, that although the absence of
hospitals in this district necessarily disturbs the natural proportional
distribution of diseases, it does not materially vitiate the aggregate death
returns. The inclusion of St. Luke's Workhouse, in which institution
140 deaths occurred, of Hoxton House Asylum which admits patients
from various parts of the country, and in which 25 persons died, and of
an unusual proportion of Almshouses for the reception of aged people,
quite compensate for the deaths of persons belonging to Shoreditch which
took place in the various hospitals, prisons, and other public institutions
situated beyond the district.
Ages at Death.—In order to arrive at a fair conclusion regarding the
proportion of deaths occurring at various epochs of life, it is necessary to
be in possession of the numbers of persons living of the ages under consideration.
This information I have at present no opportunity of obtaining.
I can therefore only state the bare facts. During the year 775 children
died under the age of 1 year, 656 more died whose age exceeded 1 year
and was under 5. Alter the age of 5 years, the value of life is immensely
increased. The children who have emerged with safety from the assaults
of Small-Pox, Measles, Scarlatina, Whooping-Cough, Diarrhoea, Pneumonia,
Convulsions, and other infantile disorders, may be presumed to be
endowed with a more vigorous constitution, and have acquired greater
powers of resistance to injurious external influences. Thus between 5
and 10 years only 93 children died; from 10 to 20 only 84 persons died.
Between the ages of 20 and 40, 312 persons died; 442 died above 40
and under 60; whilst the fair proportion of 608 persons died above 60
years old.
That 48 of the deaths should be those of children under 5 years old