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This result is satisfactory not only in comparison with the general Metropolitan
and Eastern death-rates of the year under survey, hut also in
comparison with the death-rates of Shoreditch in past years. Thus the
death-rates for the years 1855-1862 are as follows: 1 in 39, 1 in 40, 1
in 35, 1 in 38.6, 1 in 43, 1 in 43, 1 in 43, 1 in 42. During four successive
years, then, Shoreditch has fairly kept pace in Sanitary progress
with the rest of the metropolis.
Descending from this gross statistical comparison to a closer investigation
into details, we find that 48 per cent. or nearly half the deaths occurred
in children under the age of 5 years. The proportion is heavy, hut is
slightly less than in the preceding year, when it reached 49 percent. The
causes that account for infantile mortality will be seen minutely set forth
in columns 2 and 3 of Table I.
Particular Causes of Death.—As in former years, Phthisis or lungconsumption
occupies the highest place in the mortality table. 376
deaths are assigned to this disease. The second place is occupied by
Bronchitis, which carried off 304 persons. To these may be added 234
deaths from Pneumonia, another form of lung-inflammation, 83 deaths
from other lung diseases, and 59 from inflammation of the wind-pipe,
making a total from lung-diseases of 1,056 deaths. To these might,
perhaps, still be added 147 deaths of children under 10years of age from
"Whooping-cough." Closely associated with the lungs, by situation,
function, and interdependence of disease, is the heart. The deaths
from diseases of this organ are 98. Adding those we find an aggregate
of 1154 deaths traced to diseases of the chest—more than onethird
of the whole. These diseases are not, indeed, recognised as being
of the zymotic or epidemic class. But it cannot be doubted that in
many instances, especially in the cases of Pneumonia and Laryngitis,
and Consumption, the causes are of similar nature, and indicate the
subjection to the same defective Sanitary conditions. The fact that in a
vast proportion of instances the constitution is assailed by morbific agents
carried in the air, deserves to be considered in connection with this
marked preponderance of diseases of the lungs, the organs that encounter
the first direct attack It must not, however, he forgotten that hereditary
taint, intemperance and other causes play an important part in the
causation of chest-diseases. Brain-diseases, including Convulsions and
Apoplexy, caused 408 deaths. In connection with this subject, it is to