[Report 1880] / Medical Officer of Health, Newcastle-upon-Tyne City & County.

  • Newcastle upon Tyne (England). City & County Council.
Date:
1880
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1880] / Medical Officer of Health, Newcastle-upon-Tyne City & County. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    The foregoing Table shows an actual and proportional increase in the infant mortality under each of the three heads of the Table in all the Sub-districts except that of St. Nicholas. This is due to the increased number of deaths of infants under one year of age from the subjoined diseases during last as compared with the previous year:— A.D. 1880. A.D. 1879. Whooping Cough 57 25 Diarrhoea 95 27 Tabes Mesenterica ... 84 25 Convulsions ... 127 117 Bronchitis 125 103 Atrophy and Debility . 185 169 Total . 623 466 Uncertified Deaths, That is to say, deaths registered without any medical certificate whomever having teen given or inquest held, have contributed 126 cases to the gene¬ ral mortality, as compared with 124 in the previous year. The propor¬ tions borne by the different Sub-districts do not vary materially from those of the year before. As in the year 1879, about two-thirds of these deaths are those of children under one year of age. Of the 126 cases, 22 are entered on notification from the coroner that no inquest was considered necessary. As usual, the vague terms “ Convulsions, Debility, Premature Birth, &c.,” are freely employed (see Table X. Appendix) by the informants as the alleged causes of deaths which, without doubt, are in many instances, due to want, neglect, or crime. It is somewhat remarkable that several of these uncertified cases are returned as being due to causes set forth in a technical manner. The following may be cited as examples of the terms employed :— Meningitis. Diabetes. Scarlatina and Acute Bright’s Disease. Pertussis. Pneumonia. Albuminuria. Cardiac Disease. Pelvic Abscesses. Tubercular Peritonitis. Tabes Mesenterica. Supposed Colic, followed by Syncope. Names of diseases such as the above as alleged causes of death are not likely to be used by non-professional persons. The inference deducible