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fence or covering, is dangerous to children generally, and to wayfarers
during the night, and calls for immediate interference.
Sickness and Mortality.
The absolute number of deaths registered during the last month
was forty-nine, of which twenty-eight, or four-sevenths were of
children under five years. Deducting from the forty-nine, five deaths
from accident, and two from congenital disease, there remains a
mortality of forty-two persons. The oldest person registered was a
male, aged 90. There have been three deaths from scarlatina and
one from measles. The most prevalent complaint, however, during
the last month was diarrhoea. It is a remarkable fact that there
prevailed but little diarrhoea during the hot weather at the beginning
of the month; but about the middle, when the rain came and the
temperature rapidly fell, the disease became almost general.
Thus, the mean temperature of the week ending the 16th August
was about67; but it descended during the week ending the 23rd August
to 57-8, making a difference of nearly ten degrees, and I believe
that diarrhoea reigned more severely during that week (ending 23rd
August) than it ever did before during the month, or has done since.
Of course I speak of Rotherhithe only. Considering the number of
individuals attacked, but few cases terminated fatally; eight deaths
from diarrhoea having been recorded, all of them children under
one year old, except that of the nonogenarian above mentioned.
A death from cholera infantum occurred in a child, in Chilton
Street, No. 9, near the "black ditch," and I have appended to this
Reportt he certificate of the medical gentleman who attended the
patient, that a remark at the end of the certificate may be read to
this Vestry. I must? express to you, Gentlemen, that cholera infantum
was a disease known to the profession of this country, and
described in medical works long before epidemic or Asiatic cholera
made its appearance in the year 1832, and from my own personal
observation, and from diligent inquiries made, I make bold to assert
here, with full consciousness of my official responsibility, that there
has not been in Rotherhithe during the summer months up to this
day, a single case resembling Asiatic cholera.
Yours respectfully,
2nd September, 1856. W. MURDOCH.
A COPY OF THE CERTIFICATE REFERRED TO IN
REPORT.
" To the Registrar of the Hub-district in which the death took place.
"I hereby Certify, that I attended James Joseph Humphreys,
aged ten months last birthday; that I last saw him on August 10th.