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Diseases acknowledged to be induced by cold and damp were
very destructive. There were 380 deaths from bronchitis,
244 from phthisis, and 188 from pneumonia, making a total of
812 deaths registered under the above headings.
910 deaths occurred under one year of age—against 1,452 in
the previous year. The deaths under five years of age have
decreased—1,499 against 3,238 in the previous year. 424 deaths
occurred of persons 65 years of age and upwards, viz.:—274 from
65 to 75; 120 from 75 to 85, and 30 from 85 to 95.
In the previous year 291 persons died between 65 and 75 years
of age ; 138 from 75 to 85, and 36 from 85 to 95.
In childhood (from 1 to 5 years) the largest number of deaths
was caused by lung disease (376), comprising 157 from bronchitis,
103 from pneumonia, and 116 from congestion of lungs, &c. The
diseases which came next in order of fatality were atrophy and
debility (134 deaths); convulsions 100; whooping cough 167;
premature birth 85, and diarrhoea 86.
From the age of 55 and upwards 171 deaths were caused by
bronchitis; 97 by heart disease, and 26 by paralysis; 142 were
registered under the term of "old age."
ZYMOTIC DISEASES caused 434 deaths, viz.:—3 by small
pox; 42 by scarlet fever; 11 by enteric fever; 10 by diptheria;
82 by measles; 167 by whooping cough, 97 by diarrhæa, and 22
by other zymotic diseases.
73 of the 167 deaths from whooping cough occurred in infants
under one year of age. The influence of age is manifest,—141 of
the 167 deaths from whooping cough were in infants under two
years of age, and 84 of the 97 deaths from diarrhœa occurred in
infants under two years of age.
DISINFECTION.—To arrest the spread of contagious diseases
248 houses were disinfected, the infected rooms fumigated by
sulphur, and subsequently the windows kept open to expose the
rooms freely to the oxydising influences of the open air. The walls
of the rooms, where necessary, were stripped and otherwise cleansed.