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552 deaths occurred in public institutions of the parish ; 320
in Shoreditch Infirmary; 200 in Holborn Infirmary, situated in
Hoxton New Town; 17 in the North Eastern Hospital, and 15 in
Hoxton House.
Tracing the causes of death it is evident that the unusually
severe and protracted cold and damp of the winter and spring
promoted, if not mainly produced the excess in the death-rate.
Diseases acknowledged to be caused by cold and damp were very
destructive. There were 531 deaths from bronchitis, 316 from
phthisis, and 201 from pneumonia. All lung affections are much
influenced by cold and wet, and the mortality, therefore, from that
class of disease was much in excess; 1227 deaths were registered
under the head of pulmonary diseases, whilst in the previous year
there were only 790.
Severe cold and damp is very destructive to dawning and
declining life—in infancy and old age—therefore an unusually large
number of deaths was registered under one year, 963, against 708
the year before, and under five years of age, 1481 against 1240
in the previous year; 576 deaths occurred in persons at
and over 65 years of age; 184 persons died from 75 to 85; 53
from 85 to 95, and 6 deaths were registered at 95 and upwards;
whilst in the year previous, with much milder weather, 425 died at
65 and upwards; 63 from 75 to 85; 33 from 85 to 95, and 5
above 95.
In infancy the largest number of deaths was caused by lung
disease, 267, comprising—104 from bronchitis; 61 from pneumonia,
and 78 from other pulmonary affections. The diseases which came
next in order of fatality were atrophy and debility, 119 deaths;
diarrhoea, 93; whooping cough, 83; convulsions, 80; premature
birth, 57.
In old age, 183 deaths were produced by lung disease,
including—153 from bronchitis; 69 deaths by brain disease; but
the largest number, 215, was registered under the term of "old age"