188 THE CANADIAN NATURALIST, [June 



OX SOME OF THE CAUSES OF THE EXCESSIVE MORTALITY 



OF TOUXG CHILDREI^ IN" THE CITY OF MOXTREAL. 



By Philip P. Carpenter, B.A., Ph. D., 



Hon. Secretary of the Montreal Sanitary Association. 



The object of the present paper is (1) to continue and enlarge 

 upon the data given in the Canadian Naturalist, New Series, Vol. 

 3, pp. 134-156, under the head of " Vital Statistics of Montreal ;'' 

 and (2) to enquire into some of the causes of the most unusual 

 disproportion between the deaths of young children and adults. 



The lettering and numbering is so given as to correspond with 

 the previous article, to which the reader would do well to refer 

 back. The figures for 1866 are repeated, along with, the general 

 average of 12 years, in order to make a suitable comparison 

 with tlie succeeding years. It should be remembered that in 

 each of the years beginning with 186G the official directors and 

 executors of public hygiene have stated that the city was never 

 before in so cleanly a condition. 



A. — The Census Returns. 

 In advance of the approaching Census, it is most important to 

 remember how inaccurate the last was proved to be ; the double 

 entry of "uncooked" figures for Quebec deaths presenting a 

 discrepancy of 296 (see p. 134), and the Montreal deaths pre- 

 senting a known deficiency of 1,143 (see Table 8, p. 147). 

 It behoves all members of the governments therefore, both 

 federal, provincial and municipal, and all who can bring influence 

 to bear upon these governments, to see to it that the appointments 

 are not given to incompetent political favourites, but to the best 

 men that can be found for so important a public work. The 

 citizens of the largest (and the most unhealthy) city in the 

 Dominion should especially see to this. 



B. — The Protonotary's Keturns. 

 These continue to be the only accessible data for the Births 

 in Montreal, as well as for both Births and Deaths in the 

 surrounding counties. Yet they only record religious ceremonies. 

 The births among Baptists (a very small sect, however, in this 

 city and province) are not publicly registered. An imperative 

 Registration of Births and Deaths (with the proximate and 

 remote causes of the latter under medical certificate) is among 



